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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: board · hand · pass · pitcher · date · lie · mark · vault

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. lie — to recline
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. vault — a safe
  16. board — to get on
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hand — help
  22. date — the fruit
  23. hand — in cards
  24. board — a committee

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