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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: mate · current · cabinet · lean · fork · board · date · fine

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fine — high quality
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. board — to get on
  6. current — electric
  7. date — the fruit
  8. mate — a partner
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fine — all right
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — of water
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. lean — thin
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. cabinet — ministers

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