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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. ground — a position
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. foot — a measure
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. club — for dancing
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bound — tied together
  9. date — the fruit
  10. row — a line
  11. stem — to come from
  12. club — a group
  13. ground — crushed
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. club — for golf
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bound — certain
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. row — to paddle
  21. ground — the earth
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bound — obliged

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