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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. suit — clothes
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — to fit
  5. game — a match
  6. date — the fruit
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. fine — all right
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. game — wild animals

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