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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mate — a partner
  3. current — happening now
  4. date — the fruit
  5. mate — a friend
  6. current — electric
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. kick — in football
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. current — of water
  14. mate — to breed
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. present — there
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. perch — the fish

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