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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
468
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: current · mine · stand · calf · chair · rash · coach · rock

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rock — music
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. current — of water
  15. chair — a leader
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  24. current — electric

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