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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bear — the animal
  3. branch — a division
  4. current — happening now
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. current — of water
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. tube — the underground
  13. date — the fruit
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bear — the animal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. snap — to click
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. current — electric
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wind — moving air
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. tube — a container

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