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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. present — the time now
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. prune — to trim
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. firm — a company
  10. date — the fruit
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. present — there
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. prune — to trim
  19. toast — bread
  20. bound — obliged
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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