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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. squash — to crush
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. object — to protest
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. row — a line
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. sharp — clever
  23. date — the fruit
  24. squash — the sport

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