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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: bound · date · leaves · can · net · mate · board · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. can — a tin
  3. board — a committee
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rest — a break
  6. net — in sport
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. can — to be able to
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bound — obliged
  12. can — a tin
  13. net — for catching
  14. mate — to breed
  15. net — after costs
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bound — certain
  18. board — to get on
  19. mate — a partner
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rest — what's left
  24. leaves — lets stay

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