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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. charge — in control
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. deal — to handle
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. charge — a price
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. foot — a measure
  21. charge — electricity
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ground — the earth
  24. lie — to recline

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