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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 120 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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. board — a committee
  3. fall — the season
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. march — music
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. board — to get on
  9. rock — music
  10. degree — temperature
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fall — to drop
  14. current — happening now
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — to drop
  17. march — the month
  18. current — of water
  19. rock — a stone
  20. march — the month
  21. degree — from a university
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. current — electric
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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