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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. can — a tin
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. scale — size or range
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. file — a document
  17. suit — clothes
  18. file — a tool
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. suit — in cards
  21. file — a line of people
  22. suit — to fit
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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