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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: date · prune · bore · deal · coach · saw · mug · toast

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. saw — the tool
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. prune — to trim
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bore — to tire
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mug — a face
  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