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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: bowl · track · ball · roll · foot · present · date · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. roll — a list
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — there
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. track — a path
  8. present — a gift
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. track — a song
  11. foot — a measure
  12. date — the fruit
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. ball — a dance
  16. present — the time now
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. track — to keep track

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