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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. face — to point toward
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. face — part of the head
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mug — to rob
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mug — a cup
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — a position
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mug — a face
  23. ground — the earth
  24. face — to confront

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