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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: bore · can · foot · club · toast · pass · fork · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. toast — bread
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. can — to be able to
  8. club — for golf
  9. pass — a permit
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. can — a tin
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. foot — a measure
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. can — a tin
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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