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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. spring — the season
  5. pitch — completely
  6. object — to protest
  7. bank — of a river
  8. stem — to come from
  9. spring — a coil
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bank — for money
  14. object — a thing
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. spring — of water
  19. bank — for money
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. object — an aim

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