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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. key — for a lock
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. key — in music
  14. toast — bread
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bound — obliged
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. kid — child
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. vault — a safe
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bowl — to roll

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