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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · board · fan · date · prune · can · craft · leaves

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. prune — to trim
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. date — the fruit
  9. can — a tin
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. can — to be able to
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kick — in football
  19. prune — to trim
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. can — a tin

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