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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bear — the animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. date — the fruit
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. present — the time now
  9. board — to get on
  10. court — of law
  11. current — electric
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. court — of a king
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. present — there
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. present — a gift
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. court — for sport

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