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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.

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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 · last · kick · pit · rash · track · coach · lie

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. lie — to recline
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. current — electric
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pit — in a race
  9. track — a song
  10. rash — hasty
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pit — a hole
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. last — final
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. last — to go on
  18. track — a path
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rash — a series
  22. last — finally
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

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