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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ground — crushed
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. content — the amount
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. date — the fruit
  12. sharp — clever
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. mark — a trace
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ground — a position
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mark — a grade
  23. ground — the earth
  24. hide — to keep secret

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