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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bank — for money
  6. last — final
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — a stone
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — finally
  18. rock — music
  19. last — to go on
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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