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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cap — a hat
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. date — the fruit
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rule — to rule out

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