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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.

Make a worksheet

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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. squash — the sport
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. track — a path
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bass — the fish
  10. track — to keep track
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bass — low music
  14. track — a song
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wake — a trail
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. squash — to crush
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. perch — the fish
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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