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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: mine · firm · toast · sharp · cue · lean · pitch · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. lean — thin
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. lean — to bend
  7. firm — decided
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. sharp — clever
  10. firm — a company
  11. cue — a hint
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cue — a signal
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. toast — bread
  21. pitch — completely
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. firm — steady

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