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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: straw · suit · date · cabinet · roll · bat · racket · jam

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bat — the animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a cake
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. suit — in cards
  19. roll — a list
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. suit — to fit

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