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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fork · pitcher · date · fine · arm · kick · ball · bass

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. ball — a dance
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. ball — a great time
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bass — the fish
  16. kick — in football
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fine — high quality
  19. date — the fruit
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bass — low music

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