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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. swing — to play on
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. swing — music
  5. can — a tin
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. can — a tin
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pound — a weight
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. date — the fruit
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. can — to be able to

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