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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. land — ground
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. land — a country
  9. vault — a safe
  10. capital — a city
  11. capital — money
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. suit — clothes
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. land — to come down
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. safe — a strongbox

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