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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: race · date · suit · staff · current · kick · pound · pass

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. current — of water
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pound — a weight
  7. staff — employees
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. suit — in cards
  10. staff — a stick
  11. race — humankind
  12. date — the fruit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. staff — employees
  15. race — the arms race
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. current — electric
  18. race — a contest
  19. pass — a permit
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. current — happening now
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. kick — a thrill

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