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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 120 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. rule — a law
  3. board — to get on
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mug — a cup
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mug — to rob
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mug — a face
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. current — of water
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. current — happening now
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — government
  19. deal — to handle
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. current — electric
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bear — 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