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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: wake · coach · fine · trunk · rush · racket · jam · pass

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pass — a permit
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. wake — a trail
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. racket — for tennis

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