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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. staff — employees
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stand — to bear
  7. club — for dancing
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. club — for golf
  10. staff — employees
  11. last — finally
  12. staff — a stick
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. last — to go on
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. date — the fruit
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a line
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. last — final

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