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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. club — for golf
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. club — a group
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pitch — completely
  14. tear — to rip
  15. club — for dancing
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. toast — bread
  18. tear — from crying
  19. date — the fruit
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pound — a weight

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