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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bound — certain
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bulb — for light
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. field — for sport
  13. bound — obliged
  14. field — farmland
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bulb — for light
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. field — a subject
  24. bound — tied together

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