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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 settled on a ________________?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. track — to keep track
  4. firm — decided
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. firm — steady
  9. tube — a container
  10. roll — a list
  11. season — of the year
  12. kick — in football
  13. season — in sport
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. roll — a cake
  16. track — a path
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. tube — the underground
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. firm — a company
  24. track — a song

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