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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fan · date · wave · dip · file · drill · chair · safe

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. drill — the tool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. drill — army training
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. file — a document
  12. chair — a leader
  13. dip — to sink
  14. date — the fruit
  15. drill — a practice
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a tool
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chair — to sit on

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