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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. net — in sport
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. board — to get on
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. current — electric
  7. fall — to drop
  8. board — a committee
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. pitch — completely
  12. last — finally
  13. current — happening now
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fall — to drop
  17. last — to go on
  18. key — in music
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fall — the season
  21. current — of water
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mouse — the animal

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