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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. chest — a box
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — a gift
  10. season — in sport
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. chest — of your body

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