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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 116 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: fan · current · wound · mark · file · deal · stand · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. wound — an injury
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. current — of water
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stand — to bear
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. current — happening now
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. file — a line of people
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. current — electric
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wound — an injury

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