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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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. current — of water
  3. tube — the underground
  4. suit — to fit
  5. current — electric
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — to shout
  8. staff — employees
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. current — happening now
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ground — a position
  15. staff — a stick
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. tube — a container
  19. ground — the earth
  20. vault — a safe
  21. staff — employees
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. ground — crushed
  24. tube — in a tire

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