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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pass — a permit
  6. spring — of water
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stand — to bear
  9. face — to confront
  10. spring — a coil
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. face — part of the head
  19. spring — the season
  20. board — to get on
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. board — a committee
  24. face — to point toward

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