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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stock — shares
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. date — the fruit
  7. plane — a tool
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. ball — a great time
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ball — a dance
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stock — goods
  22. lie — to recline
  23. object — an aim
  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