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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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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: cell · date · tube · bank · field · pass · calf · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pass — a permit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bank — for money
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. field — for sport
  10. tube — a container
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bank — of a river
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bank — for money
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. date — the fruit
  20. field — a subject
  21. suit — in cards
  22. field — farmland
  23. cell — in biology
  24. calf — a young animal

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