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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 · last · fine · club · mate · shower · temple · foot

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. club — for dancing
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. last — to go on
  7. fine — high quality
  8. last — finally
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. shower — rain
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. date — the fruit
  13. mate — to breed
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. club — a group
  16. fine — all right
  17. shower — to wash
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mate — a friend
  20. club — for golf
  21. last — final
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fine — a penalty

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