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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bore — to tire
  8. date — the fruit
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pop — music
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. charge — in control
  21. pop — to visit
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — to dunk

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