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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — electric
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — a cake
  10. club — for golf
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. date — the fruit
  13. club — for dancing
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. current — of water
  20. wind — moving air
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. current — happening now
  24. club — a 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