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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: board · rash · dip · date · racket · rock · trunk · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rock — music
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. board — a committee
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. board — to get on
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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