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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: ruler · board · fan · date · mark · track · clip · pop

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. track — a song
  4. board — to get on
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — to cut
  16. date — the fruit
  17. board — a committee
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — soda
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pop — music
  24. clip — for paper

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