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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: coach · pass · mouse · tube · chip · present · current · rest

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. tube — the underground
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rest — a break
  8. present — there
  9. current — electric
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. tube — a container
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. current — of water
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pass — a permit
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. present — the time now
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. present — a gift
  24. current — happening now

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