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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: field · coach · wake · fan · trunk · current · bay · arm

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wake — a trail
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. current — happening now
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. field — a subject
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. field — farmland
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. field — for sport
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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