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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kid · mug · pass · track · press · wind · net · coach

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. net — in sport
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. kid — child
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mug — to rob
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. track — a path
  11. mug — a face
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. net — after costs
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. track — a song
  16. press — to push
  17. wind — moving air
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. kid — to tease
  20. wind — moving air
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mug — a cup
  23. net — for catching
  24. coach — a trainer

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