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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. sharp — clever
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bore — to tire
  10. toast — bread
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pop — soda
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pop — music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pop — to visit
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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