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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: board · firm · bay · coach · kid · rush · current · cell

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. current — happening now
  3. firm — a company
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. cell — in biology
  9. rush — hurry
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. firm — steady
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. kid — child
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. firm — decided

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