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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: spring · current · bulb · racket · race · firm · coach · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. spring — the season
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. current — happening now
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. race — the arms race
  10. spring — a coil
  11. fine — high quality
  12. firm — decided
  13. fine — all right
  14. spring — of water
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. firm — steady
  18. race — a contest
  19. firm — a company
  20. bulb — for light
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. race — humankind
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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