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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 124 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. march — the month
  3. current — happening now
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bore — to tire
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. season — in sport
  14. current — of water
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. bore — to drill
  18. season — of the year
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. season — to add flavour

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