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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: date · land · calf · board · rest · can · club · track

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. track — to keep track
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for golf
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rest — a break
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. track — a path
  15. can — a tin
  16. track — a song
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rest — what's left
  20. board — a committee
  21. rest — what's left
  22. can — a tin
  23. land — ground
  24. can — to be able to

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