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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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. perch — the fish
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fall — to drop
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fall — the season
  9. pop — music
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pop — to visit
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. date — the fruit
  19. track — a song
  20. pop — soda
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stand — on your feet

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