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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lean — thin
  4. charge — a price
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. charge — in control
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — army training
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. date — the fruit
  13. cue — a signal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. drill — the tool
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cue — for pool
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. temple — a place of worship

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