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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. current — happening now
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pop — soda
  5. ground — a position
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pop — music
  8. face — to confront
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bank — for money
  11. face — to point toward
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bank — for money
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ground — the earth
  17. current — of water
  18. current — electric
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. board — a committee
  23. date — the fruit
  24. board — to get on

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