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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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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: cue · firm · dip · temple · date · deal · lie · race

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. firm — a company
  5. cue — for pool
  6. firm — decided
  7. lie — to recline
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. dip — to sink
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cue — a signal
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. date — the fruit
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. race — a contest
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cue — a hint
  24. temple — a place of worship

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