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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. tear — to rip
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. tear — from crying
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. rash — hasty
  13. board — a committee
  14. key — in music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rash — a series
  18. last — to go on
  19. key — for a lock
  20. date — the fruit
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. tear — from crying
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. last — finally

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