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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. date — the fruit
  3. fork — in a road
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chip — to eat
  8. squash — the sport
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. dip — to sink
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. squash — to crush
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. chip — for betting

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