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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pass — a permit
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. kick — in football
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. current — electric
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. current — happening now
  19. fine — all right
  20. bass — low music
  21. current — of water
  22. date — the fruit
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. stand — to bear

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