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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mate — a friend
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. sharp — clever
  6. current — electric
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mug — a face
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mate — to breed
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mug — to rob
  15. board — to get on
  16. mate — a partner
  17. content — happy
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. mug — a cup
  23. content — the amount
  24. lash — an eyelash

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