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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: date · hand · wound · mark · suit · pop · fork · hide

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. suit — to fit
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pop — soda
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pop — to visit
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pop — music
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. hand — help
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mark — a grade

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