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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: field · safe · stock · season · scale · march · cue · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. march — the month
  3. season — in sport
  4. cue — a signal
  5. scale — size or range
  6. cue — for pool
  7. march — the month
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cue — a hint
  10. march — music
  11. stock — shares
  12. date — the fruit
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. scale — in music
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — for sport
  20. stock — goods
  21. field — farmland
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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