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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. date — the fruit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ground — a position
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. ground — crushed
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cold — not warm
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wax — to grow
  21. stand — to bear
  22. ground — the earth
  23. mark — a trace
  24. safe — a strongbox

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