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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: present · wound · rock · drill · hide · toast · pop · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rock — music
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wound — an injury
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. toast — bread
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pop — music
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. drill — army training
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pop — soda
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. pop — to visit
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wound — an injury

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