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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. perch — the fish
  5. club — a group
  6. bear — the animal
  7. club — for golf
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rule — government
  13. mate — a friend
  14. foot — a measure
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bear — the animal
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rule — a law
  21. chair — a leader
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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