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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: date · fine · wave · fork · sharp · rash · dip · present

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fork — in a road
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rash — a series
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. sharp — clever
  13. present — the time now
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fine — all right
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. present — a gift
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. present — there

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