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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. club — for dancing
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pit — a hole
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — in a race
  18. season — in sport
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. date — the fruit

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