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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.

Make a worksheet

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: band · club · jam · suit · date · root · ball · hide

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. ball — a great time
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. band — a music group
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. root — of a word
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. club — a group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. club — for dancing
  19. band — a ring
  20. root — of a plant
  21. suit — clothes
  22. club — for golf
  23. root — the cause
  24. ball — a round shape

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