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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. fall — the season
  3. mug — a cup
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. tear — from crying
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fall — to drop
  9. net — after costs
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mug — a face
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. net — for catching
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. net — in sport
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fall — to drop
  24. tear — to rip

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