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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. march — the month
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. march — the month
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. mug — a cup
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bark — to shout
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. march — music
  16. date — the fruit
  17. toast — bread
  18. mug — a face
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pitch — completely
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. tube — the underground

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