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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. toast — bread
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bore — to drill
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. date — the fruit
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — a company
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. firm — decided
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. ball — a dance
  24. firm — steady

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