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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bat · cabinet · leaves · ball · date · wave · rock · bay

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bat — the animal
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rock — music
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ball — a great time
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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