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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · mark · present · swing · mouse · key · rush · date

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. swing — music
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mate — a friend
  8. key — in music
  9. present — the time now
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. present — a gift
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. present — there
  18. key — the most important part
  19. date — the fruit
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rush — hurry
  24. swing — in golf

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