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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: rock · toast · stand · clip · date · bass · ball · mate

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. clip — for paper
  7. toast — bread
  8. bass — low music
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rock — music
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. clip — a video
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bass — the instrument

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