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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: kick · row · season · bowl · date · board · prune · cue

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. row — a line
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — in football
  6. season — of the year
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — to paddle
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. prune — to trim
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. board — a committee
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. cue — a hint
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bowl — a dish

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