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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 · ruler · cabinet · pass · date · fork · mine · tube

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bass — the fish
  14. date — the fruit
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mine — for digging
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bass — low music
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. tube — a container

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