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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. object — a thing
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. suit — to fit
  5. shower — rain
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. clip — for paper
  10. object — to protest
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. object — an aim
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. clip — a video
  16. suit — in cards
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. shower — to wash
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. clip — to cut
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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