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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. land — to come down
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rush — hurry
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. land — a country
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mate — to breed
  10. land — ground
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pass — a permit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. band — a music group
  19. mate — a friend
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. date — the fruit
  24. band — a ring

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