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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. game — a match
  5. mate — to breed
  6. craft — boats
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — a friend
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. craft — a skill
  17. game — wild animals
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. club — for golf
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. game — a kind of play

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