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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. fork — in a road
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. capital — money
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. date — the fruit
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. capital — a city
  13. chair — a leader
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. toast — bread
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

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