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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. tube — in a tire
  2. date — the fruit
  3. march — music
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rock — music
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rock — a stone
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. tube — a container
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  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