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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: toast · bowl · track · bulb · pit · kick · date · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. date — the fruit
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. kick — in football
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — a path
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. toast — bread
  12. pit — a hole
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. pit — in a race
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. content — happy
  19. track — to keep track
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bulb — for light
  23. content — the amount
  24. track — a song

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