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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 · land · bay · roll · ruler · season · bass · pit

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bass — low music
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. roll — a list
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. date — the fruit
  12. land — to come down
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. land — a country
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. season — of the year
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. season — in sport
  23. pit — a hole
  24. season — to add flavour

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