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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. date — the fruit
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. track — to keep track
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. squash — the sport
  10. track — a path
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. present — the time now
  17. squash — to crush
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. patient — a sick person

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