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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. face — to point toward
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. hand — help
  6. game — a match
  7. face — part of the head
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. hand — in cards
  19. face — to confront
  20. game — wild animals
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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