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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. present — the time now
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. object — an aim
  7. perch — the fish
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. net — in sport
  10. present — there
  11. object — to protest
  12. charge — in control
  13. object — a thing
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. present — a gift
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. charge — a price
  23. march — the month
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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