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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. sharp — clever
  3. spring — a coil
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. face — part of the head
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. spring — of water
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. date — the fruit
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. spring — the season
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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