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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · hide · date · ball · hand · wake · ruler · bass

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bass — low music
  3. date — the fruit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. craft — a skill
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. hand — in cards
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bass — the fish
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ball — a great time
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. craft — boats
  24. hand — help

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