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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — the fruit
  6. mate — a partner
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. row — to paddle
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. row — a line
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bay — a horse colour

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