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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stock — shares
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. last — finally
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — rain
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. last — final
  17. last — to go on
  18. stock — goods
  19. current — of water
  20. board — a committee
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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