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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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468
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: branch · plane · coach · tube · bulb · pass · bowl · ball

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. branch — a division
  4. tube — a container
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ball — a dance
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bulb — for light

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