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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stand — to bear
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wake — a trail
  15. date — the fruit
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. game — a match
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fork — in a road
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mark — a trace
  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