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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. object — an aim
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. object — to protest
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. press — a publisher
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. degree — from a university
  15. object — a thing
  16. wax — to grow
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. degree — an amount
  19. press — to push
  20. degree — temperature
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. fine — high quality
  23. date — the fruit
  24. fine — all right

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