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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mark — a grade
  5. current — happening now
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. swing — in golf
  11. board — to get on
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bank — for money
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. current — of water
  17. bank — of a river
  18. current — electric
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — a position
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. swing — music
  24. bank — for money

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