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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — a gift
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rest — a break
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. temple — side of the head

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