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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cap — a hat
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. present — there
  7. ball — a dance
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. cap — of ice
  12. present — the time now
  13. roll — a list
  14. cap — a lid
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. roll — a cake
  20. ball — a great time
  21. date — the fruit
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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