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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: key · wind · ball · land · roll · date · craft · rule

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. wind — moving air
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wind — moving air
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. land — to come down
  8. roll — a list
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. rule — government
  11. ball — a great time
  12. date — the fruit
  13. roll — a cake
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. land — a country
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. ball — a dance
  20. land — ground
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rule — a law

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