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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. shower — to wash
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — a container
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. shower — rain
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. club — for golf
  12. fork — in a road
  13. club — for dancing
  14. suit — in cards
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. suit — to fit
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. club — a group
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stand — for spectators

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