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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
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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: date · dip · firm · can · leaves · ball · pitcher · straw

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. firm — decided
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. date — the fruit
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. ball — a great time
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. dip — a sauce

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