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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 · face · coach · staff · drill · pit · fork · band

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. band — a music group
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. band — a ring
  6. staff — employees
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. drill — army training
  13. pit — a hole
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. staff — employees
  16. drill — a practice
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. fork — in a road
  20. face — part of the head
  21. drill — the tool
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pit — in a race
  24. staff — a stick

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