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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: pass · current · date · band · stock · cue · staff · march

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. date — the fruit
  5. march — the month
  6. band — a ring
  7. current — electric
  8. march — the month
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. march — music
  11. stock — shares
  12. current — happening now
  13. stock — goods
  14. band — a music group
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. staff — employees
  17. current — of water
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cue — for pool

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