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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: date · ball · racket · lash · jam · ground · suit · straw

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ball — a great time
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ground — a position
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. suit — clothes
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. straw — dry grass

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