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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cell — a phone
  4. land — a country
  5. land — ground
  6. bank — for money
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bank — for money
  9. cell — in biology
  10. board — a committee
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. ball — a great time
  15. current — electric
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. current — of water
  19. board — to get on
  20. cue — for pool
  21. current — happening now
  22. land — to come down
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ball — a round shape

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