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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: court · date · mouse · cabinet · net · fan · ball · calf

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  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 — the fruit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. court — of law
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. net — for catching
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. court — of a king
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. court — for sport
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — after costs
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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