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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: nail · ball · bulb · wound · racket · present · file · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. present — the time now
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. file — a document
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. ball — a great time
  9. present — there
  10. file — a tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. file — a line of people
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wound — an injury
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wound — an injury
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. present — a gift
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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