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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 a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cell — a phone
  4. firm — a company
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. squash — the sport
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. mine — for digging
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. squash — to crush
  24. rush — hurry

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