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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: ball · fork · racket · coach · pit · date · ruler · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. date — the fruit
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ball — a dance
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pit — in a race
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fork — in a road

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