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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: fan · jam · pass · rush · pop · date · fork · ball

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pop — music
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. ball — a dance
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ball — a great time
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. date — the fruit
  15. pop — soda
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rush — to hurry

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