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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rock — a stone
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. craft — a skill
  11. toast — bread
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wind — moving air
  14. craft — boats
  15. firm — steady
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wind — moving air
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. arm — part of the body

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