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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — a coil
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spring — the season
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. toast — bread
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. saw — the tool

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