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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. board — to get on
  5. current — electric
  6. swing — to play on
  7. current — of water
  8. board — a committee
  9. swing — in golf
  10. chip — for betting
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wake — a trail
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. swing — music
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. current — happening now
  24. stand — to bear

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