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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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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: mark · date · pass · race · kid · bay · rock · cell

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. race — the arms race
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — humankind
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rock — music
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. kid — child
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. kid — to tease
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mark — a grade
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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