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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: trunk · bass · pass · can · coach · mate · rest · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mate — a friend
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rest — what's left
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bass — low music
  8. pass — a permit
  9. present — the time now
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bass — the fish
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. can — a tin
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. present — a gift
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rest — a break
  21. can — a tin
  22. rest — what's left
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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