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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
468
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: band · date · spring · plane · pit · pass · mark · cabinet

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. band — a ring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. spring — a coil
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. plane — a tool
  15. band — a music group
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — of water
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pit — a hole
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mark — a grade

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