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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. kick — in football
  5. stand — to bear
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pit — in a race
  10. date — the fruit
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lean — thin
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bass — low music
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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