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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: calf · mate · pass · date · race · land · mug · charge

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. race — humankind
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. land — a country
  7. race — the arms race
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mate — to breed
  12. race — a contest
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. charge — a price
  17. mate — a partner
  18. land — to come down
  19. mug — a cup
  20. charge — electricity
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. date — the fruit
  23. charge — in control
  24. land — ground

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