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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. date — the fruit
  4. field — farmland
  5. suit — in cards
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. field — for sport
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pass — a permit
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. field — a subject
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. suit — clothes

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