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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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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. last — finally
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rest — a break
  11. wake — a trail
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. last — final
  16. date — the fruit
  17. last — to go on
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rush — hurry
  24. date — on the calendar

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