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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: pass · club · fall · court · fine · date · foot · leaves

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fall — to drop
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pass — a permit
  6. court — of a king
  7. foot — a measure
  8. date — the fruit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. club — for dancing
  15. court — of law
  16. fall — the season
  17. court — for sport
  18. fine — all right
  19. club — for golf
  20. fine — high quality
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. fall — to drop
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. fine — a penalty

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