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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. wound — an injury
  3. object — an aim
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wound — an injury
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fork — in a road
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. date — the fruit
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. object — to protest
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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