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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: pass · bulb · stand · pound · pit · date · mark · bat

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mark — a grade
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. date — the fruit
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. date — on the calendar

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