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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. board — a committee
  3. row — to paddle
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. row — a line
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. press — a publisher
  8. key — in music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. current — electric
  12. key — the most important part
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. press — to push
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. key — for a lock
  19. kick — in football
  20. press — newspapers
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. board — to get on
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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