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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · temple · firm · rush · mate · row · date · wind

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. row — to paddle
  4. board — to get on
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. board — a committee
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mate — a partner
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. date — the fruit
  18. row — a line
  19. mate — to breed
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rush — hurry
  23. firm — decided
  24. mate — a friend

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