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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: coach · pass · spell · suit · bulb · bass · race · last

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. bulb — of a plant
  2. bass — low music
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. last — to go on
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pass — a permit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. last — final
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bass — the fish
  15. race — humankind
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. last — finally
  19. bulb — for light
  20. spell — magic
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  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