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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. kick — in football
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pass — a permit
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. tube — a container
  12. wake — a trail
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. date — the fruit
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pass — to succeed

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