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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. press — newspapers
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. press — a publisher
  15. suit — in cards
  16. press — to push
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. date — the fruit

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