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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bound — certain
  9. march — music
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. staff — a stick
  13. saw — the tool
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bound — tied together
  16. march — the month
  17. foot — a measure
  18. staff — employees
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. staff — employees
  24. march — the month

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