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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: tube · pass · hide · branch · board · season · wake · coach

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. wake — a trail
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. branch — a division
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. tube — a container
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. pass — a permit
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. season — of the year
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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