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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bore — to tire
  3. root — of a word
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bass — low music
  7. date — the fruit
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. spell — magic
  14. root — of a plant
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bass — the fish
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. spell — letters
  22. toast — bread
  23. root — the cause
  24. spell — a short time

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