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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. toast — bread
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bass — the fish
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. rush — hurry
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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