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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tear · net · tube · date · pitch · temple · suit · spell

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. suit — to fit
  3. tear — to rip
  4. spell — magic
  5. tube — a container
  6. net — in sport
  7. spell — a short time
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. suit — clothes
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. spell — letters
  13. net — after costs
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. suit — in cards
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pitch — completely
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. net — for catching

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