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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stock — goods
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bear — the animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of law
  14. date — the fruit
  15. stock — shares
  16. can — a tin
  17. race — a contest
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. race — humankind
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. court — of a king

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