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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bear — the animal
  3. foot — a measure
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mate — a partner
  12. wake — a trail
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bear — the animal
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mate — to breed
  20. date — the fruit
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. tube — a container

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