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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. cap — a hat
  5. fork — in a road
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cap — a lid
  10. drill — the tool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. date — the fruit
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. drill — army training
  19. rash — hasty
  20. drill — a practice
  21. cap — of ice
  22. snap — to click
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. suit — to fit

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