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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. date — the fruit
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lean — thin
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bore — to drill
  15. track — a path
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bore — to tire
  18. club — a group
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. club — for golf
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. land — a country
  23. land — to come down
  24. track — a song

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