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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. ball — a great time
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. band — a ring
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. band — a music group
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. date — the fruit
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ball — a round shape

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