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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bear — the animal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bank — for money
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rule — government
  9. pop — music
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. date — the fruit
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pop — soda
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rule — a law
  19. bank — for money
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. pop — to visit
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bank — of a river
  24. date — on the calendar

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