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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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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. land — a country
  3. can — a tin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bank — for money
  6. land — to come down
  7. bank — of a river
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. date — the fruit
  11. rash — a series
  12. bank — for money
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. land — ground
  15. cap — a hat
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. cap — a lid

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