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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rock — a stone
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. drill — the tool
  9. charge — a price
  10. firm — a company
  11. squash — to crush
  12. date — the fruit
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. charge — in control
  15. firm — steady
  16. squash — the sport
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rock — music
  19. drill — army training
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. staff — employees
  22. firm — decided
  23. staff — employees
  24. charge — electricity

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