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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: toast · face · date · bore · fall · kid · safe · cell

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bore — to drill
  4. face — part of the head
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. kid — child
  8. face — to point toward
  9. date — the fruit
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. kid — to tease
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bore — to tire
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. toast — bread
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. fall — the season
  20. face — to confront
  21. fall — to drop
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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