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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 · mine · ball · bay · bass · coach · bowl · chip

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bass — low music
  5. chip — to eat
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mine — for digging
  15. chip — for betting
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. date — the fruit
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bowl — a football final

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