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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 116 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: root · coach · season · cabinet · shower · current · saw · wake

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. current — electric
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. shower — rain
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. root — of a word
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. season — in sport
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. shower — to wash
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. root — the cause
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. season — of the year
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. root — of a plant
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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