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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. date — the fruit
  4. drill — the tool
  5. object — an aim
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pitch — completely
  9. object — to protest
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fork — in a road
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. drill — a practice
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. object — a thing
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. drill — army training
  24. fork — to eat with

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