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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. date — the fruit
  4. ball — a great time
  5. present — a gift
  6. can — a tin
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ball — a dance
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. face — to confront
  15. present — the time now
  16. sharp — clever
  17. can — to be able to
  18. face — part of the head
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. present — there
  23. face — to point toward
  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