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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · lean · wave · nail · date · key

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. key — in music
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — the most important part
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lean — thin
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. lean — to bend
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mate — to breed

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