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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. ground — the earth
  3. date — the fruit
  4. ground — a position
  5. spell — magic
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. track — a path
  8. cap — a lid
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. bank — for money
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bank — for money
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — a short time
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cap — of ice
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bank — of a river
  24. lash — to lash out

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