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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stock — goods
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. date — the fruit
  18. chest — of your body
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stock — shares

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