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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · field · rock · can · squash · coach · pass · last

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. can — a tin
  3. squash — the sport
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. field — farmland
  6. rock — music
  7. staff — employees
  8. can — a tin
  9. last — final
  10. staff — employees
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. last — finally
  13. staff — a stick
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. field — for sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rock — a stone
  19. can — to be able to
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. last — to go on
  23. field — a subject
  24. squash — to crush

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