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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: fork · coach · track · current · roll · scale · pass · jam

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. roll — a list
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. current — electric
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. track — to keep track
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. current — of water
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. current — happening now
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. pass — a permit
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — size or range
  21. roll — a cake
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. track — a path
  24. scale — in music

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