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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: cap · coach · pass · track · rock · saw · bulb · pop

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bulb — for light
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pop — soda
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rock — a stone
  10. track — a song
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. track — to keep track
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pop — music
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rock — music
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bulb — of a plant

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