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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 124 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. roll — a list
  3. current — of water
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. current — happening now
  6. rule — government
  7. toast — bread
  8. rule — a law
  9. roll — a cake
  10. board — to get on
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pound — a weight
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. current — electric
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. board — a committee
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. fan — a supporter

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