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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bank — for money
  5. court — of a king
  6. bank — for money
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. court — of law
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. lie — to recline
  18. court — for sport
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. degree — temperature
  24. date — on the calendar

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