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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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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: bound · plane · kid · cue · bulb · chest · current · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bound — tied together
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. cue — a signal
  7. current — happening now
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — electric
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bound — certain
  14. chest — of your body
  15. current — of water
  16. cue — a hint
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. chest — of your body
  20. kid — child
  21. bound — obliged
  22. chest — a box
  23. cue — for pool
  24. kid — to tease

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