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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. season — of the year
  4. deal — to handle
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. perch — the fish
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. date — the fruit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wave — of the sea

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