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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: temple · date · straw · bank · game · season · capital · ball

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. ball — a dance
  3. season — of the year
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bank — of a river
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bank — for money
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. capital — a city
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. ball — a great time
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. game — a match
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. capital — money
  21. season — in sport
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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