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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: jam · wind · tube · leaves · coach · fork · pass · rock

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. wind — moving air
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wind — moving air
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rock — music
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. tube — a container
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. rock — a stone
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. fork — in a road
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. leaves — lets stay

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