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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: scale · mark · jam · fan · date · temple · press · rest

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rest — what's left
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. press — to push
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rest — a break
  14. press — a publisher
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. press — newspapers
  17. scale — size or range
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. scale — in music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mark — a grade

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