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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mug — to rob
  5. date — the fruit
  6. fine — all right
  7. content — happy
  8. fine — high quality
  9. branch — a division
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wake — a trail
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. content — the amount
  21. mug — a cup
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mug — a face

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