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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: bay · rush · pass · file · stick · date · land · safe

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. land — to come down
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. land — ground
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rush — hurry
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. file — a document
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. file — a tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. file — a line of people
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. land — a country

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