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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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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pop — to visit
  5. roll — a list
  6. current — of water
  7. roll — a cake
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. kick — in football
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. date — the fruit
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. board — a committee
  16. pop — soda
  17. current — electric
  18. board — to get on
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pop — music
  22. bore — to tire
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. roll — on a roll

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