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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.

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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: band · track · coach · chip · leaves · pass · tube · branch

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. track — a path
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. tube — a container
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. track — a song
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. band — a music group
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. chip — to eat
  16. band — a ring
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pass — a permit
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. track — to keep track
  22. tube — the underground
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chip — for betting

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