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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: trunk · dip · date · tear · suit · last · bowl · mate

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. tear — to rip
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. dip — to sink
  12. last — finally
  13. last — to go on
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mate — to breed
  17. last — final
  18. suit — clothes
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. date — the fruit

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