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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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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: cap · leaves · date · pass · rule · bay · fine · kid

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fine — high quality
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. cap — a lid
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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