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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. present — there
  2. pop — soda
  3. suit — clothes
  4. track — a song
  5. present — the time now
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. track — to keep track
  9. date — the fruit
  10. pop — to visit
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pit — in a race
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pit — a hole
  16. ball — a dance
  17. present — a gift
  18. track — a path
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pop — music
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. suit — to fit
  23. ball — a great time
  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