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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. land — ground
  3. land — a country
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. craft — a skill
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. capital — money
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. land — to come down
  19. capital — a city
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. foot — a measure
  23. craft — boats
  24. nail — on a finger

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