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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: object · suit · court · date · mug · can · pass · cold

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. object — an aim
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cold — an illness
  6. date — the fruit
  7. mug — a face
  8. court — of a king
  9. suit — clothes
  10. object — to protest
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. can — a tin
  13. object — a thing
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pass — a permit
  16. can — to be able to
  17. court — of law
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. can — a tin
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mug — to rob
  22. court — for sport
  23. cold — not warm
  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