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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bass — the fish
  4. present — the time now
  5. board — to get on
  6. face — to confront
  7. bass — low music
  8. board — a committee
  9. bulb — for light
  10. face — part of the head
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bulb — for light
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. current — happening now
  16. present — there
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. present — a gift
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. current — electric
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stem — of a plant

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