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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: fine · coach · tear · safe · date · season · scale · content

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fine — high quality
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. content — happy
  6. season — of the year
  7. tear — from crying
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fine — all right
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. season — in sport
  17. content — the amount
  18. tear — to rip
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. date — the fruit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. tear — from crying
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. coach — a trainer

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