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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. current — of water
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. current — happening now
  5. stand — to bear
  6. spell — magic
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ball — a dance
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. board — a committee
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fork — in a road
  21. current — electric
  22. board — to get on
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stand — on your feet

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