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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.

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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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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. file — a document
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. file — a tool
  6. current — of water
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. pit — in a race
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. squash — to crush
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. file — a line of people
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pit — a hole

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