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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: cue · band · date · ruler · roll · squash · calf · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bass — low music
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. squash — the sport
  10. cue — a signal
  11. date — the fruit
  12. band — a ring
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. squash — to crush
  16. cue — a hint
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cue — for pool
  21. roll — a list
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. band — a music group
  24. roll — a cake

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