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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. march — the month
  3. date — the fruit
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wound — an injury
  7. vault — a safe
  8. march — the month
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bear — the animal
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wound — an injury
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. march — music
  24. pass — a permit

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