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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: march · content · wax · coach · pass · stick · cabinet · track

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. content — happy
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pass — a permit
  12. march — the month
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. march — the month
  17. wax — to grow
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. track — a song
  21. march — music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. content — the amount

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