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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: track · clip · bank · cap · pass · content · coach · present

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. clip — to cut
  3. track — a song
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bank — for money
  7. present — the time now
  8. content — the amount
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. content — happy
  11. present — a gift
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. present — there
  14. clip — for paper
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bank — of a river
  18. clip — a video
  19. track — a path
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bank — for money
  22. cap — of ice
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cap — a hat

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