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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: wave · rock · march · fan · calf · coach · bulb · current

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. current — happening now
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. march — music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. march — the month
  11. current — electric
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. current — of water
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. march — the month
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. rock — music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fan — a supporter

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