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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: pit · stem · season · pass · track · nail · coach · current

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. current — of water
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. current — happening now
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. track — a song
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. pit — in a race
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. current — electric
  18. stem — to come from
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pass — a permit
  21. season — of the year
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pit — a hole

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