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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. club — for dancing
  3. suit — in cards
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. plane — a tool
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lie — to recline
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rash — a series
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rash — hasty
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. game — wild animals
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. suit — clothes
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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