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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. last — final
  3. last — finally
  4. tear — from crying
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rock — a stone
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — a committee
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. current — of water
  15. last — to go on
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. tear — to rip
  18. rock — music
  19. current — electric
  20. tear — from crying
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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