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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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. track — to keep track
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cell — in biology
  7. march — the month
  8. track — a path
  9. bear — the animal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. march — music
  15. press — a publisher
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. press — to push
  18. track — a song
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cell — a phone
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. press — newspapers
  24. march — the month

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