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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. toast — bread
  4. cue — a signal
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bound — certain
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bound — tied together
  13. cue — a hint
  14. track — a song
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. pop — soda
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bound — obliged
  22. cue — for pool
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pop — music

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