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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: mug · bound · march · mate · date · row · root · lie

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. lie — an untruth
  3. root — of a word
  4. bound — tied together
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. march — music
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. mate — a partner
  11. row — to paddle
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bound — certain
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mate — to breed
  22. row — a line
  23. bound — obliged
  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