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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. toast — bread
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. object — an aim
  10. date — the fruit
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. fork — in a road
  16. key — in music
  17. object — a thing
  18. key — the most important part
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bat — the animal
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. object — to protest

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