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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: land · kick · squash · bowl · date · fine · present · can

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. land — a country
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. kick — in football
  7. squash — the sport
  8. land — to come down
  9. fine — all right
  10. date — the fruit
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. can — to be able to
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. can — a tin
  15. present — there
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fine — high quality
  20. present — a gift
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. can — a tin
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. land — ground

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