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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. date — the fruit
  5. march — the month
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pop — soda
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pit — a hole
  19. tube — the underground
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pit — in a race
  23. tube — a container
  24. chair — a leader

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