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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. ball — a great time
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. field — a subject
  7. club — a group
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. field — for sport
  13. club — for golf
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rush — hurry
  16. ball — a dance
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. club — for dancing
  22. field — farmland
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rush — a thrill

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