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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: hide · wax · pound · content · rock · suit · current · coach

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. suit — to fit
  3. content — happy
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — music
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. content — the amount
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. current — electric
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wax — to grow
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rock — a stone
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. suit — clothes

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