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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. date — the fruit
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mate — to breed
  9. can — a tin
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mate — a friend
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mate — a partner
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fine — all right
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. can — a tin
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. can — to be able to
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. craft — boats

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