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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: net · date · jam · tube · lash · board · season · ball

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. date — the fruit
  3. ball — a dance
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. tube — a container
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. net — in sport
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. net — for catching
  19. season — of the year
  20. tube — the underground
  21. net — after costs
  22. season — in sport
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. jam — in traffic

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