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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. suit — clothes
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. swing — music
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. fall — to drop
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fall — to drop
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fall — the season
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. suit — in cards
  19. swing — to play on
  20. suit — to fit
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. date — the fruit
  24. patient — a sick person

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