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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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Word bank
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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: jam · root · march · object · toast · pop · pit · date

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. object — to protest
  3. march — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. march — the month
  6. root — the cause
  7. pop — music
  8. toast — bread
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pop — soda
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. march — the month
  16. object — an aim
  17. date — the fruit
  18. pit — in a race
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. root — of a word
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. object — a thing

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