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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. season — of the year
  4. last — finally
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. last — final
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bulb — for light
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. last — to go on
  16. season — in sport
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. band — a ring
  19. scale — in music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. band — a music group

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