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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · date · kick · firm · board · pop

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. pop — music
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. firm — decided
  6. kick — in football
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fall — the season
  9. pop — soda
  10. fall — to drop
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. firm — steady
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. firm — a company
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pop — to visit

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