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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: bass · bore · mate · pass · suit · pitch · stand · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bore — to drill
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mate — a friend
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bass — low music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. suit — in cards

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