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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rush — hurry
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. drill — the tool
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. drill — army training
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fine — all right
  22. cell — in biology
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cell — a phone

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