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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cue — a hint
  6. roll — a cake
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cue — for pool
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cell — a phone
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. roll — a list
  24. cell — in a prison

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