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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: current · coach · bore · track · rule · fork · band · bulb

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bulb — for light
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bore — to drill
  6. track — a song
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. current — electric
  9. track — to keep track
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bore — to tire
  19. current — happening now
  20. track — a path
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rule — a law
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. band — a rubber band

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