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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bass — low music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. shower — rain
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. shower — to wash
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bass — the fish
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. date — on the calendar

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