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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: bulb · toast · mate · trunk · saw · coach · current · track

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. track — a song
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. saw — the tool
  9. track — a path
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bulb — for light
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — bread
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. mate — a partner
  19. saw — the tool
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mate — to breed
  24. trunk — of a tree

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