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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 116 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 · bass · can · tube · rule · leaves · fine · racket

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. tube — the underground
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rule — a law
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. tube — a container
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fine — all right
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rule — government
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fine — high quality
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bass — the fish
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. can — a tin
  24. tube — in a tire

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