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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: pass · coach · board · rush · swing · rock · wind · bulb

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rock — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rush — hurry
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. board — a committee
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. swing — music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bulb — for light

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