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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. march — the month
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. scale — in music
  7. current — of water
  8. march — the month
  9. scale — size or range
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. march — music
  15. current — electric
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. branch — a division
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. board — to get on
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. plane — a tool

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