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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. craft — a skill
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. sharp — clever
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. suit — in cards
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. suit — to fit
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. suit — clothes
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. craft — boats
  24. coach — a trainer

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