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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. root — of a plant
  4. shower — rain
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fine — all right
  7. date — the fruit
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. root — of a word
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. root — the cause
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rule — government
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rule — a law
  16. sharp — clever
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. tube — a container

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