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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: leaves · date · board · mark · pop · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. board — a committee
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. mark — a grade
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. board — to get on
  11. mark — a trace
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. pop — soda
  16. date — the fruit
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wake — before a funeral

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