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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. drill — army training
  8. object — to protest
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fork — in a road
  14. drill — a practice
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. drill — the tool

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