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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: drill · can · game · coach · suit · current · bark · stem

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. current — of water
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. current — electric
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. suit — clothes
  7. game — wild animals
  8. suit — in cards
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. can — a tin
  11. stem — to come from
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. can — a tin
  19. game — a match
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. suit — to fit
  23. current — happening now
  24. bark — to shout

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