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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · coach · mouse · wake · band · staff · pop · kick

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. band — a music group
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — a trail
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pop — music
  9. pass — a permit
  10. band — a ring
  11. pop — soda
  12. staff — a stick
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. staff — employees
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. staff — employees
  18. kick — in football
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pop — to visit
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pass — to spend time

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