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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: season · band · rock · wave · roll · date · squash · bay

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a ring
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. date — the fruit
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. season — in sport
  13. squash — the sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. roll — a cake
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a list
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rock — music
  22. squash — to crush
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rock — a stone

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