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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pass — a permit
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pop — soda
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. root — the cause
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pop — music
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pop — to visit
  19. root — of a word
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. date — the fruit

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