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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: spring · sharp · date · can · calf · fine · pass · ball

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. ball — a dance
  3. date — the fruit
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. can — to be able to
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fine — all right
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fine — high quality
  11. can — a tin
  12. spring — a coil
  13. can — a tin
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. spring — of water
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. spring — the season
  24. pass — a permit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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