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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. present — there
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. present — a gift
  5. mate — a friend
  6. pitch — completely
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. board — a committee
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. band — a music group
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. present — the time now
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. date — the fruit

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