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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bank — of a river
  4. chip — for betting
  5. march — the month
  6. wake — a trail
  7. date — the fruit
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. march — music
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. march — the month
  21. charge — in control
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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