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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. current — of water
  3. board — a committee
  4. present — a gift
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. charge — electricity
  13. present — there
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. scale — in music
  16. current — happening now
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. current — electric
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. board — to get on
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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