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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: date · sharp · root · ball · leaves · object · snap · toast

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. object — an aim
  4. root — the cause
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. object — to protest
  8. sharp — clever
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. toast — bread
  13. root — of a plant
  14. ball — a dance
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. root — of a word
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. snap — to click
  21. object — a thing
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ball — a great time

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