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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. board — a committee
  4. current — of water
  5. board — to get on
  6. pop — to visit
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. spring — the season
  9. current — electric
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pop — soda
  12. spring — of water
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pop — music
  21. current — happening now
  22. perch — the fish
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. spring — a coil

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