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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. board — to get on
  15. current — of water
  16. swing — music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. current — electric
  21. current — happening now
  22. key — for a lock
  23. foot — a measure
  24. key — in music

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