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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
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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: pass · season · arm · tube · firm · rest · date · squash

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. season — of the year
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. tube — the underground
  10. squash — the sport
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. squash — to crush
  13. tube — a container
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. date — the fruit
  17. season — in sport
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. firm — decided
  24. season — to add flavour

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