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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
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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: date · rock · temple · racket · march · game · bear · firm

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. firm — decided
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. firm — steady
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rock — a stone
  11. march — music
  12. firm — a company
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. march — the month
  16. game — a match
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. date — the fruit
  20. game — wild animals
  21. march — the month
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rock — music
  24. bear — the animal

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