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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. march — music
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. game — wild animals
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. mark — a grade
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. march — the month
  14. game — a match
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mate — a friend
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mate — to breed
  22. march — the month
  23. mate — a partner
  24. date — on the calendar

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