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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.

Make a worksheet

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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mark — a trace
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. date — the fruit
  15. rash — a series
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. temple — a place of worship

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