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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. board — a committee
  3. land — a country
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. saw — the tool
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mate — a friend
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mate — a partner
  15. current — happening now
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. current — of water
  20. shower — to wash
  21. mate — to breed
  22. board — to get on
  23. club — for dancing
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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