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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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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: bass · date · hide · cap · roll · deal · ground · ball

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — a list
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cap — of ice
  8. deal — to handle
  9. ground — the earth
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bass — low music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a great time
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. ground — a position
  21. bass — the fish
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. cap — a lid

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