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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · key · toast · date · band · ruler · fine · cue

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. key — for a lock
  5. fork — in a road
  6. band — a ring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cue — for pool
  12. band — a music group
  13. toast — bread
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. cue — a signal
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. cue — a hint
  22. key — the most important part
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. key — in music

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