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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · wake · club · chair · ball · deal · drill · suit

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. club — for golf
  3. ball — a great time
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. drill — a practice
  6. chair — a leader
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. wake — a trail
  11. deal — to handle
  12. drill — the tool
  13. club — for dancing
  14. ball — a dance
  15. drill — army training
  16. club — a group
  17. suit — in cards
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. wake — before a funeral

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