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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: pass · track · bound · coach · nail · fork · tube · chair

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bound — obliged
  5. tube — the underground
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. track — a path
  8. tube — a container
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. track — a song
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fork — in a road
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. track — to keep track
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — certain
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a professorship

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