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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. object — an aim
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. charge — in control
  5. race — a contest
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. object — a thing
  9. charge — a price
  10. shower — rain
  11. rest — a break
  12. object — to protest
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. race — the arms race
  16. shower — to wash
  17. date — the fruit
  18. race — humankind
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rest — what's left
  21. charge — electricity
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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