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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. date — the fruit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. band — a music group
  5. chip — to eat
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rest — what's left
  16. chip — for betting
  17. band — a ring
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. rest — a break
  23. spring — a coil
  24. temple — a place of worship

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