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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: nail · cabinet · pass · tube · game · row · coach · bulb

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — a container
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. game — wild animals
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pass — a permit
  13. tube — the underground
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. row — a line
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. game — a match
  24. row — a quarrel

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