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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: fine · ball · toast · date · suit · band · coach · capital

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. suit — in cards
  3. date — the fruit
  4. band — a ring
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fine — all right
  7. toast — bread
  8. fine — high quality
  9. capital — money
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. ball — a great time
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. band — a music group
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ball — a dance
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. suit — clothes
  24. capital — a city

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