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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. key — in music
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. firm — a company
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. key — for a lock
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pass — a permit
  21. snap — to click
  22. file — a document
  23. date — the fruit
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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