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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: mouse · date · rule · club · stem · sharp · mate · pass

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. rule — government
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. stem — to come from
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. club — for golf
  14. mate — a partner
  15. club — a group
  16. mate — to breed
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rule — a law
  24. stem — a stem cell

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