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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. wake — a trail
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. date — the fruit
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. plane — a tool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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