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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cold · game · current · pass · firm · object · coach · pound

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. current — happening now
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. current — electric
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. current — of water
  14. firm — decided
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cold — an illness
  17. pound — a weight
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. firm — steady
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. firm — a company
  22. cold — not warm
  23. object — to protest
  24. pass — to succeed

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