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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rash — hasty
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. foot — a measure
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. ball — a great time
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ball — a dance
  11. date — the fruit
  12. degree — temperature
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — a series
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. foot — part of the body

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