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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: date · mate · foot · coach · charge · nail · bulb · pass

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. charge — a price
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mate — to breed
  13. charge — in control
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. mate — a partner
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. date — the fruit
  22. mate — a friend
  23. charge — electricity
  24. coach — a trainer

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