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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. date — the fruit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stem — to come from
  10. face — part of the head
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. court — of a king
  13. bat — the animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rock — music
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. face — to confront
  22. court — of law
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. court — for sport

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