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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: pass · file · rule · cabinet · arm · date · safe · rush

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. date — on the calendar
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rule — government
  6. file — a line of people
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rush — hurry
  14. file — a document
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. file — a tool
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. date — the fruit
  22. rule — a law
  23. arm — a part of something
  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