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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.

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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: plane · coach · ball · current · track · object · wake · board

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. track — to keep track
  5. board — a committee
  6. wake — a trail
  7. object — a thing
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. track — a song
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. board — to get on
  18. current — happening now
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. ball — a dance
  23. object — an aim
  24. track — a path

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