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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: last · craft · ball · row · toast · date · deal · lash

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. toast — bread
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. last — finally
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. last — final
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. row — to paddle
  16. ball — a great time
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. last — to go on
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. row — a line
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. craft — boats
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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