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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: fan · fall · suit · lie · pound · march · pass · coach

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fall — the season
  4. march — the month
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pound — a weight
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. march — the month
  24. march — 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