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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. date — the fruit
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. wind — moving air
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. deal — to handle
  17. squash — the sport
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mine — for digging
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. wind — moving air

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