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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: chest · date · jam · can · bowl · stand · rock · fan

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rock — a stone
  11. chest — a box
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. can — a tin
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. can — a tin
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stand — to bear
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rock — music

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