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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. date — the fruit
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mate — to breed
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mate — a partner
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pit — in a race
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pound — a weight
  20. toast — bread
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. chip — for betting
  24. date — on the calendar

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