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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 are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. suit — clothes
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. suit — to fit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. firm — decided
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. land — a country
  23. suit — in cards
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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