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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: band · ball · present · roll · date · pit · branch · club

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. present — there
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. ball — a dance
  5. date — the fruit
  6. present — a gift
  7. pit — a hole
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. roll — a list
  11. present — the time now
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. roll — a cake
  19. club — for dancing
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. branch — a division
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pit — in a race

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