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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 · fork · club · object · dip · spring · coach · cabinet

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. club — a group
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. object — an aim
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. club — for golf
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. object — to protest
  9. spring — the season
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. spring — of water
  12. fork — in a road
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pass — a permit
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. object — a thing
  18. dip — to sink
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. cabinet — ministers

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