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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mate — a partner
  5. date — the fruit
  6. mate — to breed
  7. tube — the underground
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. race — a contest
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mug — a cup
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — the arms race
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mug — a face
  19. tube — a container
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. mug — to rob
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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