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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: coach · can · wax · pound · present · game · lie · current

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. can — to be able to
  8. present — the time now
  9. game — a match
  10. present — there
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. current — electric
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. game — wild animals
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. can — a tin
  19. pound — a weight
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. present — a gift
  22. can — a tin
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pound — for dogs

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