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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: pass · rush · plane · date · content · last · coach · current

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. last — final
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. date — the fruit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. last — finally
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. current — electric
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. content — the amount
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. last — to go on
  21. content — happy
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pass — a permit
  24. date — on the calendar

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