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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. lie — to recline
  5. toast — bread
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. date — the fruit
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rash — a series
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. object — an aim
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. rash — hasty
  21. object — to protest
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. object — a thing

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