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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. suit — clothes
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. capital — a city
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. suit — to fit
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. date — the fruit
  18. capital — money
  19. game — a match
  20. content — the amount
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. content — happy
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. cabinet — ministers

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