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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. club — for golf
  4. wake — a trail
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. track — a song
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mug — a face
  9. club — a group
  10. mug — to rob
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. track — a path
  13. current — electric
  14. mug — a cup
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. current — of water
  18. club — for dancing
  19. current — happening now
  20. track — to keep track
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fan — a supporter

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