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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: jam · prune · ball · date · spell · band · suit · plane

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. spell — letters
  3. plane — a tool
  4. spell — magic
  5. date — the fruit
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. prune — to trim
  8. suit — clothes
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. band — a music group
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ball — a dance
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. suit — to fit
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. ball — a great time
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. band — a ring
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spell — a short time

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