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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. kick — in football
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. board — a committee
  6. rush — hurry
  7. current — electric
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. current — happening now
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pass — a permit
  12. band — a ring
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. date — the fruit
  17. band — a music group
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. board — to get on
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. current — of water
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. board — a flat piece

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