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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. date — the fruit
  3. last — to go on
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. press — newspapers
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. can — a tin
  8. shower — to wash
  9. last — finally
  10. can — a tin
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. fine — high quality
  13. club — a group
  14. last — final
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. press — to push
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. club — for dancing
  20. shower — rain
  21. fine — all right
  22. press — a publisher
  23. club — for golf
  24. race — a contest

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