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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: calf · mine · board · rock · pass · date · ball · tube

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. board — a committee
  3. mine — for digging
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. rock — music
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ball — a great time
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. board — to get on
  13. date — the fruit
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rock — a stone
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pass — to succeed

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