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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. band — a music group
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. band — a ring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bark — to shout
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. date — the fruit
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ruler — a monarch

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