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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. spring — a coil
  5. date — the fruit
  6. season — of the year
  7. spring — the season
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rush — hurry
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. season — in sport
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spring — of water

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