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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. stem — to come from
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rock — music
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. date — the fruit
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. current — happening now
  13. rock — a stone
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. court — of a king
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of law

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