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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mug — a cup
  4. clip — a video
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. clip — for paper
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. current — of water
  14. board — to get on
  15. mug — to rob
  16. vault — a safe
  17. clip — to cut
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. board — a committee
  20. rock — music
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. row — a line
  24. fan — a supporter

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