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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. rock — music
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. fine — all right
  8. club — for golf
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. season — in sport
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. foot — a measure
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. club — a group
  20. season — of the year
  21. cap — a lid
  22. date — the fruit
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. club — for dancing

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