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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 · bulb · present · key · cap · rash · coach · last

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. last — final
  4. key — in music
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. last — to go on
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pass — a permit
  19. last — finally
  20. present — a gift
  21. cap — a hat
  22. present — the time now
  23. key — for a lock
  24. present — there

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