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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. current — happening now
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. wax — to grow
  5. drill — army training
  6. row — to paddle
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. board — to get on
  9. current — of water
  10. chip — for betting
  11. row — a line
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. drill — the tool
  19. sharp — clever
  20. current — electric
  21. chip — to eat
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. board — a committee
  24. bowl — a dish

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