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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. current — electric
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. march — music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. current — happening now
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. current — of water
  18. mine — for digging
  19. pit — a hole
  20. board — to get on
  21. march — the month
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fork — in a road
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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