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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: squash · date · bulb · ball · nail · foot · stand · band

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. band — a ring
  3. ball — a dance
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. squash — to crush
  6. ball — a great time
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. date — the fruit
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. band — a music group
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bulb — for light
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. squash — the sport

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