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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wax — to grow
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. last — to go on
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. last — final
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. last — finally
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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