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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: pass · kick · object · coach · roll · march

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. object — a thing
  3. roll — a list
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. march — music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. roll — a cake
  8. march — the month
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — to protest
  15. march — the month
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. roll — on a roll

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