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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: bay · lean · band · rock · net · sharp · date · coach

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. net — in sport
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. band — a ring
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lean — thin
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. net — for catching
  17. rock — music
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. lean — to bend
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. band — a music group
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. net — after costs

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