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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mark — a grade
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pitch — completely
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. mark — a trace
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bass — low music
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. mark — to pay attention

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