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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: pass · date · tube · current · jam · land · march · leaves

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. march — the month
  4. march — the month
  5. tube — the underground
  6. land — to come down
  7. current — electric
  8. march — music
  9. tube — a container
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. land — a country
  13. pass — a permit
  14. current — happening now
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. land — ground
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. current — of water
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. leaves — lets stay

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