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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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. current — of water
  3. race — the arms race
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bear — the animal
  6. current — happening now
  7. ground — the earth
  8. club — a group
  9. ground — a position
  10. race — a contest
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. club — for dancing
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. board — to get on
  15. ground — crushed
  16. board — a committee
  17. current — electric
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bear — the animal
  20. sharp — clever
  21. race — humankind
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. club — for golf
  24. plane — a tool

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