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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. suit — clothes
  8. date — the fruit
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mate — a friend
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mate — to breed
  16. rash — a series
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. suit — in cards
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. scale — in music
  24. suit — to fit

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