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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bowl · swing · fine · toast · mate · date · sharp · band

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. swing — to play on
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. band — a music group
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. band — a ring
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. toast — bread
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. sharp — clever
  19. date — the fruit
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mate — a friend

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