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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spell — a short time
  4. suit — clothes
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rock — a stone
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. suit — in cards
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. march — music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rock — music
  16. pound — a weight
  17. march — the month
  18. ball — a great time
  19. spell — magic
  20. foot — a measure
  21. spell — letters
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. march — the month
  24. date — the fruit

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