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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: net · ground · current · mug · coach · firm · row · spell

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  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. spell — letters
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. current — of water
  4. row — a line
  5. firm — steady
  6. spell — magic
  7. mug — to rob
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mug — a face
  11. net — in sport
  12. current — electric
  13. firm — decided
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ground — the earth
  16. net — after costs
  17. ground — crushed
  18. net — for catching
  19. row — to paddle
  20. firm — a company
  21. mug — a cup
  22. spell — a short time
  23. ground — a position
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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