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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cell — in biology
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rash — hasty
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. prune — to trim
  11. board — to get on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rash — a series
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. cell — a phone
  19. prune — to trim
  20. board — a committee
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. date — the fruit

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