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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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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: wake · pound · coach · temple · current · bear · pass · wind

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pound — a weight
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wake — a trail
  9. current — of water
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. coach — a trainer

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