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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. swing — to play on
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. craft — boats
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. swing — music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. game — a match
  20. swing — in golf
  21. craft — a skill
  22. game — wild animals
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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