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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: arm · rock · coach · current · roll · mark · net · shower

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rock — a stone
  3. shower — rain
  4. roll — a list
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. net — after costs
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. current — of water
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rock — music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. roll — a cake
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. net — in sport
  20. shower — to wash
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. current — electric
  23. net — for catching
  24. current — happening now

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