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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
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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: track · mate · mug · date · lean · roll · arm · bowl

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. roll — a cake
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. track — a path
  13. roll — a list
  14. mug — a face
  15. lean — thin
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. track — to keep track
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mate — a friend
  20. track — a song
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mug — a cup
  23. lean — to bend
  24. date — on the calendar

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