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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: mark · bowl · coach · present · current · saw · bore · track

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. present — the time now
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. mark — a trace
  6. current — electric
  7. present — there
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mark — a grade
  10. current — happening now
  11. track — a path
  12. current — of water
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. present — a gift
  24. track — a song

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