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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. field — farmland
  3. bound — obliged
  4. dip — to sink
  5. can — a tin
  6. field — for sport
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bound — certain
  9. press — to push
  10. board — a committee
  11. press — a publisher
  12. can — a tin
  13. current — happening now
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. field — a subject
  16. bulb — for light
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. board — to get on
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bulb — for light

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