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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: date · cabinet · suit · firm · ball · swing · row · racket

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. suit — to fit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. suit — clothes
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. firm — steady
  7. swing — in golf
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. row — a line
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. row — to paddle
  13. swing — to play on
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. ball — a great time
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. swing — music
  24. date — on the calendar

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