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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · wave · rule · bay · date · rash · track · jam

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. date — the fruit
  3. rash — a series
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. track — a song
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rule — a law
  9. rest — a break
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — government
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. track — a path
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rest — what's left
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. date — on the calendar

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