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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. roll — a list
  4. rest — a break
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. cap — a lid
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rest — what's left
  18. roll — a cake
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rest — what's left
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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