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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. rule — government
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. lie — to recline
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. net — after costs
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. net — in sport
  13. rule — a law
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. band — a music group
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. band — a ring
  21. dip — to sink
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. net — for catching
  24. lie — an untruth

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