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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: staff · date · perch · ball · lie · nail · root · mate

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mate — a partner
  3. staff — employees
  4. lie — to recline
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. date — the fruit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ball — a great time
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. perch — the fish
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. staff — employees
  16. root — of a word
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. staff — a stick
  19. mate — to breed
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mate — a friend
  24. root — the cause

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