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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — of water
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. lean — thin
  8. bank — of a river
  9. firm — steady
  10. spring — a coil
  11. firm — decided
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. date — the fruit
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bank — for money
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. firm — a company
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bank — for money

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