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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. cell — in biology
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. board — to get on
  4. pop — music
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. current — of water
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. game — a match
  12. current — electric
  13. pop — to visit
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rush — hurry
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cell — a phone
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pop — soda
  23. ball — a dance
  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