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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: file · current · trunk · pass · coach · cap · jam · plane

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. current — happening now
  3. file — a document
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. current — of water
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. current — electric
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — a hat
  15. plane — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cap — of ice
  19. file — a tool
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. jam — in traffic

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