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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. wax — to grow
  3. firm — a company
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. row — a line
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. sharp — clever
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. firm — decided
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. firm — steady
  21. row — to paddle
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. sharp — with an edge

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