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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · track · cell · wind · coach · object · can · current

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. can — a tin
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — in biology
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. can — to be able to
  7. track — to keep track
  8. current — electric
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. current — happening now
  11. track — a path
  12. can — a tin
  13. current — of water
  14. track — a song
  15. wind — moving air
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. cell — a phone
  19. wind — moving air
  20. board — a committee
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. object — a thing
  23. board — to get on
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com