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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: leaves · roll · mark · pass · fall · swing · root · date

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. roll — a cake
  4. fall — the season
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. date — the fruit
  9. roll — a list
  10. mark — a trace
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. swing — to play on
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. root — of a word
  15. mark — a grade
  16. root — the cause
  17. fall — to drop
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pass — to succeed

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