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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. season — of the year
  3. wake — a trail
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. face — to point toward
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. firm — decided
  8. face — to confront
  9. season — in sport
  10. current — electric
  11. date — the fruit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. current — of water
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. root — the cause
  17. firm — a company
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. current — happening now
  20. root — of a word
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. root — of a plant
  23. firm — steady
  24. face — part of the head

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