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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 116 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: track · dip · chair · wake · stand · current · suit · bore

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. wake — a trail
  2. suit — to fit
  3. current — electric
  4. stand — to bear
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. chair — a leader
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. suit — in cards
  20. dip — to sink
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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