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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. drill — army training
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. current — happening now
  9. drill — a practice
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. club — a group
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. current — electric
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. club — for dancing
  19. spell — a short time
  20. drill — the tool
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. club — for golf

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