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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. date — the fruit
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. swing — music
  9. stem — to come from
  10. track — a song
  11. saw — the tool
  12. race — a contest
  13. saw — the tool
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. race — humankind
  16. rock — a stone
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. swing — in golf
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rock — music
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. race — the arms race
  24. stem — a stem cell

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