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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
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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: pit · mate · fan · bore · fine · scale · date · track

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. track — to keep track
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pit — a hole
  7. date — the fruit
  8. fine — all right
  9. scale — size or range
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. scale — in music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bore — to tire

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