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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 · row · present · current · bank · trunk · charge · bat

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. present — a gift
  8. row — a line
  9. current — happening now
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — there
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. current — of water
  14. charge — a price
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. present — the time now
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. row — to paddle
  22. bat — the animal
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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