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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — help
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wound — an injury
  8. date — the fruit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a hole
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. face — to confront

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