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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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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 · stand · leaves · fall · band · deal · court · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. court — of law
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. court — of a king
  10. band — a ring
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. date — the fruit
  16. deal — to handle
  17. stand — to bear
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fall — the season
  21. band — a music group
  22. court — for sport
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. dip — to dunk

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