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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. mate — a partner
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rule — a law
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rest — what's left
  8. foot — a measure
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rule — government
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tear — to rip
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rest — a break
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mate — a friend

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