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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. suit — in cards
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — a trail
  8. ball — a dance
  9. date — the fruit
  10. snap — to click
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bass — low music
  21. ball — a great time
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. temple — a place of worship

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