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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  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. fall — the season
  2. season — in sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rock — music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. net — in sport
  8. current — happening now
  9. fork — in a road
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. season — of the year
  14. date — the fruit
  15. net — after costs
  16. fall — to drop
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fall — to drop
  23. date — on the calendar
  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