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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: squash · date · roll · band · bear · can

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bear — the animal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. band — a music group
  5. bear — the animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. band — a ring
  8. squash — the sport
  9. can — a tin
  10. date — the fruit
  11. roll — a list
  12. can — a tin
  13. roll — a cake
  14. can — to be able to
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. band — a rubber band

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