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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mark — a trace
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. band — a ring
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rash — a series
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rash — hasty
  23. band — a music group
  24. mouse — the animal

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