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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. saw — the tool
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rush — hurry
  10. board — to get on
  11. saw — the tool
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. board — a committee
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. current — happening now

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