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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. squash — the sport
  5. cap — of ice
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bore — to drill
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. date — the fruit
  14. squash — to crush
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — a lid
  17. kick — in football
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitch — completely
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pound — to hit hard

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