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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: staff · net · can · pass · coach · bat · bound · last

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — in sport
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. staff — employees
  5. bound — certain
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. staff — employees
  10. last — final
  11. net — for catching
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. can — a tin
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. net — after costs
  18. last — to go on
  19. staff — a stick
  20. pass — a permit
  21. can — to be able to
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — a tin
  24. last — finally

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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