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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: current · swing · tube · wax · racket · staff · coach · root

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. wax — to grow
  5. current — electric
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. current — happening now
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. swing — to play on
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. staff — employees
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. root — the cause
  18. swing — in golf
  19. root — of a word
  20. current — of water
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. root — of a plant
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wax — in the ear

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