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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. object — a thing
  3. last — to go on
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. branch — a division
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. tear — from crying
  10. last — final
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. last — finally
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. chest — a box
  16. tear — to rip
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. object — to protest
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. object — an aim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. foot — a measure
  23. tear — from crying
  24. date — on the calendar

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