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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. mate — to breed
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mate — a friend
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. club — for dancing
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. march — the month
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to click
  13. prune — to trim
  14. march — the month
  15. club — a group
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mate — a partner
  18. prune — to trim
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. march — music
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. club — for golf
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bowl — a dish

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