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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. tube — the underground
  12. band — a ring
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pit — in a race
  15. band — a music group
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. tube — a container
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. stand — to bear
  24. band — a rubber band

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