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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. row — a line
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. date — the fruit
  6. net — after costs
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. firm — decided
  9. net — in sport
  10. rash — a series
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. row — to paddle
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rush — hurry
  15. lie — to recline
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. firm — steady
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. net — for catching
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. firm — a company

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