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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: current · land · coach · race · bank · mark · present · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bore — to tire
  4. land — a country
  5. race — humankind
  6. current — of water
  7. bank — of a river
  8. present — there
  9. land — ground
  10. bank — for money
  11. land — to come down
  12. mark — a trace
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. present — the time now
  15. current — electric
  16. race — the arms race
  17. present — a gift
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bank — for money
  21. race — a contest
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. current — happening now

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