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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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Word bank
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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rash — hasty
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rash — a series
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bark — to shout
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. date — the fruit
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bass — low music

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