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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. ground — the earth
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to confront
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bulb — for light
  14. face — to point toward
  15. fine — all right
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fine — high quality

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