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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. club — for dancing
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. club — a group
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. chest — a box
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. chest — of your body
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chest — of your body
  16. club — for golf
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. prune — to trim
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. staff — employees
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. toast — bread
  24. pitch — completely

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