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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. current — of water
  4. board — a committee
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ground — crushed
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. content — happy
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. current — happening now
  14. ground — a position
  15. content — the amount
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. capital — a city
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ground — the earth
  23. fork — in a road
  24. current — electric

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