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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. suit — to fit
  4. date — the fruit
  5. capital — money
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. capital — a city
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pop — music
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pop — soda
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. wake — a trail
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pop — to visit
  24. ruler — for measuring

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