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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. staff — employees
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. board — a committee
  5. swing — music
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. swing — to play on
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pitch — completely
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. board — to get on
  15. net — in sport
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. swing — in golf
  18. net — after costs
  19. race — humankind
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. net — for catching
  23. race — a contest
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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