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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fall — to drop
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bore — to drill
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. bore — to tire
  17. craft — boats
  18. mark — a trace
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. cue — a signal
  22. fall — the season
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bore — gave birth

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