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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. saw — the tool
  3. date — the fruit
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mate — a partner
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spring — of water
  9. wound — an injury
  10. object — an aim
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pound — a weight
  13. mate — to breed
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. spring — the season
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. mate — a friend
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — to hit hard

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