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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: bound · season · mark · date · pass · mug · vault · tear

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mark — a trace
  4. date — the fruit
  5. mark — a grade
  6. tear — to rip
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mug — a cup
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. season — of the year
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bound — certain
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. tear — from crying
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. season — in sport
  24. mug — a face

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