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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 · jam · rule · toast · fine · pitcher · coach · net

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fine — high quality
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fine — all right
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. toast — bread
  9. net — in sport
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rule — a law
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — after costs
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pass — a permit
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rule — government
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. toast — the most admired

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