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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lean — to bend
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. date — the fruit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. branch — a division
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. race — a contest
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — humankind
  20. lean — thin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. safe — out of danger

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