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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 · date · bound · coach · rash · shower · temple · dip

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rash — a series
  3. date — the fruit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bound — obliged
  11. dip — to sink
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bound — tied together
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. shower — rain
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bound — certain
  23. rash — hasty
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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