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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. firm — steady
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. firm — a company
  5. tube — the underground
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rock — music
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. date — the fruit
  11. board — to get on
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. board — a committee
  22. perch — the fish
  23. tube — a container
  24. date — on the calendar

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