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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: ball · date · sharp · fan · spell · vault · swing · bore

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. swing — in golf
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. swing — music
  6. spell — a short time
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. spell — magic
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. ball — a dance
  17. swing — to play on
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. spell — letters

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