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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
468
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: mate · game · fine · present · date · craft · cabinet · pass

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. fine — all right
  3. mate — a partner
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mate — a friend
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. present — the time now
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. craft — a skill
  11. date — the fruit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. fine — high quality
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. game — wild animals
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. game — a match
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. craft — boats
  24. present — a gift

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