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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: sharp · wound · lean · board · hide · pitcher · date · suit

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. suit — to fit
  6. board — to get on
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. board — a committee
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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