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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spring — the season
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chip — for betting
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spring — of water
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. spring — a coil
  24. coach — a trainer

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