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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: wound · fan · ground · bulb · coach · hide · suit · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. ground — a position
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ground — crushed
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ground — the earth
  18. track — a path
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wound — an injury
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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