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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. date — the fruit
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chair — a leader
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. track — a path
  11. cap — a lid
  12. track — a song
  13. pit — a hole
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pit — in a race
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. cap — of ice

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