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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: staff · track · mark · bulb · deal · coach · current · prune

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. current — electric
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. track — a song
  5. current — happening now
  6. mark — a trace
  7. track — a path
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. staff — employees
  10. bulb — for light
  11. prune — to trim
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. track — to keep track
  17. prune — to trim
  18. staff — employees
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. current — of water

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