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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. foot — a measure
  5. date — the fruit
  6. craft — boats
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. drill — a practice
  17. face — to confront
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. dip — to sink
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. craft — a handicraft

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