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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. mark — a trace
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lean — thin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. fine — all right
  12. tear — to rip
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fine — high quality
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fine — a penalty

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