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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. band — a ring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. board — a committee
  9. fork — in a road
  10. court — of a king
  11. dip — to sink
  12. court — of law
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. court — for sport
  15. band — a music group
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. craft — a skill
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. craft — boats

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