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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. cap — a hat
  10. row — a line
  11. date — the fruit
  12. cap — of ice
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. plane — a tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. row — to paddle
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cap — a lid
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. arm — part of the body

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