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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: temple · jam · date · bear · coach · spell · mark · mouse

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. spell — magic
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bear — the animal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mark — a grade
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mark — to pay attention

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