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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. toast — bread
  8. season — of the year
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. can — a tin
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ball — a dance
  18. can — a tin
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cap — a lid
  21. season — in sport
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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