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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: root · track · coach · net · club · pass · band · jam

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. root — the cause
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pass — a permit
  6. club — a group
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. band — a music group
  9. root — of a word
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. band — a ring
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. track — a path
  16. net — after costs
  17. root — of a plant
  18. club — for golf
  19. track — a song
  20. net — in sport
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. club — for dancing
  24. track — to keep track

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