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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 120 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: mug · pitch · branch · hide · coach · bear · tube · current

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — a face
  5. tube — the underground
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mug — to rob
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. tube — a container
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. branch — a division
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pitch — completely
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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