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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: mine · bulb · key · rush · game · saw · pass · coach

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. game — a match
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. mine — for digging
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bulb — for light
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pass — a permit
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. key — in music
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rush — a thrill
  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