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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: trunk · saw · court · dip · band · date · mouse · bowl

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. saw — the tool
  5. court — of law
  6. band — a ring
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. court — of a king
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. dip — to sink
  22. court — for sport
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. dip — a sauce

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