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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: mate · coach · bear · firm · land · club · rock · current

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. rock — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — a company
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mate — a friend
  8. current — happening now
  9. land — to come down
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. land — ground
  14. firm — decided
  15. rock — a stone
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. land — a country
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. firm — steady
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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