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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · coach · can · sharp · fan · bear · rash · wake

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wake — a trail
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. can — to be able to
  7. current — happening now
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. current — of water
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — electric
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rash — a series
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bear — the animal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. can — a tin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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