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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: roll · band · row · present · leaves · track · coach · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. band — a music group
  5. scale — size or range
  6. present — a gift
  7. roll — a list
  8. scale — in music
  9. row — to paddle
  10. track — a path
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. band — a ring
  14. track — to keep track
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. track — a song
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. row — a line
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. present — there
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. present — the time 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