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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. chest — a box
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fine — high quality
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fine — all right
  11. cell — a phone
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chest — of your body
  15. cell — in biology
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. date — the fruit
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fall — the season

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