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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. board — to get on
  3. perch — the fish
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stem — to come from
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. charge — a price
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bank — for money
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. ball — a great time
  20. charge — electricity
  21. sharp — clever
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. board — a committee
  24. charge — in control

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