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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: pound · present · cabinet · face · rush · pass · coach · bowl

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. face — to confront
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pass — a permit
  17. present — a gift
  18. rush — hurry
  19. present — there
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. present — the time now
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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