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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: coach · pass · suit · squash · current · file · bulb · wound

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. file — a line of people
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bulb — for light
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. squash — to crush
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. current — happening now
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. file — a tool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. suit — in cards
  20. file — a document
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wound — an injury
  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