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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: last · pass · cap · firm · date · coach · field · suit

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pass — a permit
  5. field — farmland
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. date — the fruit
  8. field — for sport
  9. firm — a company
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. field — a subject
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — of ice
  16. last — finally
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. last — final
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cap — a hat
  22. last — to go on
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. firm — steady

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