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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. present — a gift
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. last — final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. present — there
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. last — to go on
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. last — finally
  20. lean — thin
  21. present — the time now
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. temple — side of the head

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