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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. date — the fruit
  7. staff — employees
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stock — goods
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pop — music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. staff — employees
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pop — soda
  20. fork — in a road
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. suit — to fit
  24. safe — a strongbox

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