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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. track — a path
  6. shower — rain
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. shower — to wash
  10. suit — in cards
  11. track — to keep track
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. fine — high quality
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fine — all right
  23. date — the fruit
  24. track — a song

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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