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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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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: sharp · temple · stick · game · date · last · jam · dip

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — clever
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. dip — to sink
  13. last — to go on
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. game — wild animals
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. game — a match
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. last — finally
  21. date — the fruit
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. last — final
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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