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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
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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: bear · ground · ball · cue · date · swing · key · jam

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. cue — for pool
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ground — a position
  6. key — for a lock
  7. swing — to play on
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bear — the animal
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. key — the most important part
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. ground — the earth
  16. cue — a hint
  17. key — in music
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ball — a great time
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. swing — music
  23. cue — a signal
  24. ball — a round shape

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