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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. game — wild animals
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rash — a series
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mug — a face
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. game — a match
  21. mine — for digging
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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