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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. spell — a short time
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. spell — letters
  6. swing — to play on
  7. firm — steady
  8. branch — a division
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. date — the fruit
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. swing — in golf
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mug — a face
  22. spell — magic
  23. swing — music
  24. coach — a trainer

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