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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: present · season · date · rest · safe · arm · suit · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. season — in sport
  6. suit — to fit
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. present — there
  11. rest — a break
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rest — what's left
  20. present — the time now
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — a weight
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. present — a gift

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