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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: spell · object · wake · date · cap · ball · tube · craft

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. date — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cap — a lid
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. tube — a container
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. cap — a hat
  13. ball — a dance
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. cap — of ice
  18. craft — boats
  19. wake — a trail
  20. object — an aim
  21. tube — the underground
  22. object — a thing
  23. spell — letters
  24. object — to protest

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