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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: date · bass · stick · safe · ball · pop · track · prune

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pop — to visit
  6. date — the fruit
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bass — low music
  9. pop — soda
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ball — a great time
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. track — a path
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pop — music
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bass — the fish
  22. track — a song
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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