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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bass — the fish
  8. prune — to trim
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. lean — to bend
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mug — a face
  19. lean — thin
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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