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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: rule · leaves · craft · date · pit · track · face · present

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. face — part of the head
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. track — a path
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rule — a law
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pit — in a race
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. track — to keep track
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. face — to confront
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pit — a hole
  17. track — a song
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. present — a gift
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. rule — government
  24. face — to point toward

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