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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bound — tied together
  9. perch — the fish
  10. last — final
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cue — for pool
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bound — certain
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — finally
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cue — a hint
  22. rest — a break
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rest — what's left

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