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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 trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. field — for sport
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. file — a document
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. firm — decided
  7. foot — a measure
  8. date — the fruit
  9. file — a line of people
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. field — a subject
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fine — all right
  16. file — a tool
  17. firm — steady
  18. fine — high quality
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. firm — a company
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. field — farmland

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