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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. clip — a video
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bore — to drill
  13. kid — child
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. clip — to cut
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bore — to tire
  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