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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. toast — bread
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. wax — to grow
  7. current — happening now
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. current — electric
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rock — a stone
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. board — to get on
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rock — music
  22. current — of water
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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