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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: date · mark · pass · racket · straw · leaves · ground · fine

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ground — the earth
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. ground — a position
  13. pass — a permit
  14. mark — a trace
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. fine — all right
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. date — the fruit
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mark — to pay attention

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