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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: fork · march · root · hide · object · date · jam · pass

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. march — the month
  3. object — a thing
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. march — the month
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. date — the fruit
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. root — the cause
  17. march — music
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fork — in a road
  23. object — to protest
  24. root — of a word

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