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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. march — music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bore — to drill
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. march — the month
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. march — the month
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. date — the fruit
  24. fine — all right

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