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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. march — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. net — in sport
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. net — after costs
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. net — for catching
  10. march — the month
  11. date — the fruit
  12. march — the month
  13. mug — to rob
  14. drill — army training
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mug — a face
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — to go away

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