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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fork — in a road
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. spell — magic
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lean — thin
  14. date — the fruit
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. spell — letters
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. spell — a short time
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. lean — to bend

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