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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: date · ball · bear · bowl · pop · suit · bound · pitcher

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — to visit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pop — music
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. ball — a great time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bear — the animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bowl — a football final

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