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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. plane — a tool
  3. club — for golf
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — bread
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. object — an aim
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. date — the fruit
  11. rest — a break
  12. face — to point toward
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. face — to confront
  17. club — a group
  18. object — to protest
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rest — what's left
  22. object — a thing
  23. club — for dancing
  24. plane — an aircraft

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