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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. spell — magic
  3. fall — the season
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lie — to recline
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. chip — to eat
  11. spell — letters
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fall — to drop
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. chip — for betting
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. lie — an untruth

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