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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
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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: fan · date · roll · staff · scale · track · rush · season

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. season — of the year
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. roll — a list
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. staff — a stick
  12. season — in sport
  13. track — a song
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. track — to keep track
  16. staff — employees
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rush — hurry
  19. track — a path
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — in music
  22. roll — a cake
  23. staff — employees
  24. fan — a supporter

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