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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bank — for money
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. suit — clothes
  6. key — for a lock
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. suit — to fit
  9. key — the most important part
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. suit — in cards
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. key — in music
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bank — of a river
  17. roll — a list
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. roll — a cake
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bank — for money

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