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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. spell — letters
  4. date — the fruit
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mug — to rob
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mug — a cup
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. chair — a leader
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mug — a face

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