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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  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. lie — an untruth
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. spring — the season
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. lie — to recline
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — happy
  16. spring — a coil
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. content — the amount
  23. spring — of water
  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