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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bat · date · net · last · fan · nail · mate · safe

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mate — a friend
  5. last — finally
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. net — for catching
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bat — the animal
  17. last — final
  18. mate — a partner
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. mate — to breed
  24. fan — a supporter

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