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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: content · toast · mate · ball · bay · fine · date · rock

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. toast — bread
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. ball — a dance
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. mate — a friend
  15. content — the amount
  16. mate — to breed
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. fine — all right
  19. rock — music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. content — happy

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