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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: date · bore · sharp · net · mug · pop · board · present

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. board — a committee
  4. mug — a face
  5. present — there
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pop — music
  8. mug — a cup
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. present — the time now
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. net — after costs
  13. present — a gift
  14. net — in sport
  15. bore — to drill
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pop — soda
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mug — to rob
  23. board — to get on
  24. net — for catching

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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