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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: row · date · temple · jam · kick · hide · fine · mate

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. mate — a partner
  6. date — the fruit
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. row — a line
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. mate — to breed
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fine — high quality
  19. row — to paddle
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. kick — in football
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. hide — to keep secret

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