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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. land — a country
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. mug — a face
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. land — to come down
  9. date — the fruit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — to recline
  12. track — a song
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rash — hasty
  15. toast — bread
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mug — to rob
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. track — a path
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. track — to keep track
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. land — ground
  24. mug — a cup

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