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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. drill — army training
  4. date — the fruit
  5. pass — a permit
  6. drill — the tool
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. spring — a coil
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. drill — a practice
  18. spring — of water
  19. pitch — completely
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. spring — the season
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rest — what's left

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