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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pitch — completely
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pound — a weight
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bound — tied together
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bound — certain
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. tube — a container
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bound — obliged
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wave — with your hand

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