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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: bound · row · coach · mate · cap · press · track · trunk

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. track — a song
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — obliged
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bound — tied together
  11. cap — a hat
  12. press — a publisher
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. track — a path
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mate — to breed
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cap — of ice
  20. row — to paddle
  21. press — to push
  22. cap — a lid
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mate — a friend

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