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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. saw — the tool
  3. date — the fruit
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. land — a country
  7. current — electric
  8. mate — to breed
  9. saw — the tool
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mate — a partner
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. current — of water
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. current — happening now
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. land — to come down
  20. wake — a trail
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. land — ground
  24. mate — a friend

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