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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. date — the fruit
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. scale — size or range
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. spell — letters
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lean — to bend
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spell — magic
  21. lean — thin
  22. scale — in music
  23. spell — a short time
  24. present — a gift

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