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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. suit — in cards
  3. board — a committee
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. row — a line
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. suit — to fit
  9. board — to get on
  10. current — happening now
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. suit — clothes
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. scale — in music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. current — of water
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. row — to paddle
  24. board — a flat piece

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