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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. pound — a weight
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. suit — in cards
  12. toast — bread
  13. chest — of your body
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. chest — a box
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pass — a permit

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