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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: ball · date · court · staff · calf · plane · can · cap

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. staff — employees
  3. cap — of ice
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. can — a tin
  7. court — of a king
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cap — a lid
  10. ball — a great time
  11. plane — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. date — the fruit
  18. court — of law
  19. cap — a hat
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. court — for sport
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. calf — a young animal

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