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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rule — government
  3. date — the fruit
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rule — a law
  14. scale — in music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pop — soda
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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