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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rest — a break
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. current — happening now
  7. rest — what's left
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. prune — to trim
  13. current — of water
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rest — what's left
  16. craft — boats
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. current — electric
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. vault — a safe
  24. craft — a skill

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