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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lean — to bend
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. date — the fruit
  10. press — newspapers
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. lean — thin
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. press — to push
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. press — a publisher
  22. band — a music group
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. hide — to keep secret

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