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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. foot — a measure
  3. shower — rain
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. shower — to wash
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. date — the fruit
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. toast — bread
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fork — in a road
  23. net — for catching
  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