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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.

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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: leaves · straw · date · ball · jam · coach · club · dip

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. club — a group
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. ball — a great time
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. dip — to sink
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ball — a dance
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. leaves — to go away

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