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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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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 · date · firm · wave · prune · bowl · pit · foot

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  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. bowl — to roll
  2. pit — in a race
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mate — a partner
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. firm — a company
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. firm — decided
  13. pit — a hole
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. prune — to trim
  20. firm — steady
  21. mate — to breed
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. foot — part of the body
  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