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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. suit — to fit
  3. date — the fruit
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. plane — a tool
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. kick — in football
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. roll — a list
  13. ball — a great time
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. roll — a cake
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. board — a committee
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bark — to shout

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