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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: date · mate · sharp · file · club · pass · fine · cabinet

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. club — for golf
  3. mate — to breed
  4. file — a tool
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pass — a permit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fine — all right
  20. file — a document
  21. mate — a friend
  22. file — a line of people
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. sharp — with an edge

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