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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. date — the fruit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wake — a trail
  6. key — for a lock
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bank — for money
  13. key — in music
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bank — for money
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. board — a committee
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pass — a permit

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