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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. shower — rain
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. club — for golf
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. shower — to wash
  18. pass — a permit
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. club — a group
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. date — on the calendar

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