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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pop — music
  6. board — to get on
  7. pop — to visit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. suit — in cards
  11. net — after costs
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. pit — in a race
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. current — happening now
  19. pop — soda
  20. net — in sport
  21. ball — a dance
  22. net — for catching
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. suit — to fit

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