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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 116 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
468
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: bulb · track · pitch · capital · coach · bank · pass · root

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. root — the cause
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bulb — for light
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — a permit
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — of a word
  17. track — a song
  18. capital — a city
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bank — for money
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. coach — a trainer

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