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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.

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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: coach · ground · safe · tube · rule · pass · leaves · branch

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rule — government
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. ground — the earth
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rule — a law
  8. ground — a position
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pass — a permit
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. ground — crushed
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tube — a container
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. branch — a division
  23. tube — the underground
  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