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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: foot · date · jam · lie · pit · rule · suit · wind

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wind — moving air
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. suit — in cards
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rule — a law
  11. pit — in a race
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. rule — government
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. suit — clothes
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lie — an untruth

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