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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
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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: date · hide · fan · march · bark · safe · leaves · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. staff — employees
  4. date — the fruit
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. march — music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. march — the month
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. staff — employees
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bark — to shout
  16. march — the month
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. date — on the calendar

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