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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bound — tied together
  4. deal — to handle
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. spring — of water
  8. bound — certain
  9. wake — a trail
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. spring — the season
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bound — obliged
  18. spring — a coil
  19. cue — for pool
  20. current — of water
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. current — happening now

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