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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: hand · mug · pass · prune · date · cue · bass · temple

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bass — low music
  4. mug — to rob
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mug — a cup
  7. hand — help
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. hand — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mug — a face
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. date — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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