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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitch — completely
  3. season — in sport
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bank — for money
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bank — of a river
  8. season — of the year
  9. date — the fruit
  10. drill — army training
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fall — to drop
  16. craft — boats
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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