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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. firm — decided
  3. current — electric
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. snap — to click
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ground — the earth
  11. rest — what's left
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. ground — crushed
  14. foot — a measure
  15. board — a committee
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. current — of water
  18. ground — a position
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. firm — a company
  21. rest — a break
  22. firm — steady
  23. board — to get on
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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