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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · rash · roll · march · calf · ball · key · wind

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rash — hasty
  4. march — music
  5. roll — a list
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. march — the month
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ball — a great time
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rash — a series
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. march — the month
  21. key — in music
  22. ball — a dance
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. key — for a lock

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