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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. date — the fruit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. drill — army training
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. current — of water
  10. bark — to shout
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. march — the month
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. march — the month
  21. drill — the tool
  22. march — music
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. drill — a practice

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