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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: pound · mark · club · object · coach · date · pit · bat

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. object — a thing
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mark — a grade
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pound — a weight
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. club — for golf
  14. object — to protest
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. object — an aim
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. club — a group

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