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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: mate · snap · arm · scale · root · mouse · date · toast

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. date — the fruit
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. root — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mate — a partner
  15. scale — in music
  16. root — the cause
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. root — of a word
  21. toast — bread
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. snap — to click

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