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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. perch — the fish
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. spring — the season
  9. chip — for betting
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rush — hurry
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. spring — a coil
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fall — the season

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