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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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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 · mug · root · date · snap · mark · pound · chair

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. chair — a leader
  6. root — the cause
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mug — a cup
  9. date — the fruit
  10. mug — a face
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mark — a grade
  15. root — of a plant
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. mug — to rob
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. toast — bread
  22. snap — to click
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. root — of a word

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