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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. firm — a company
  3. board — a committee
  4. current — electric
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. march — the month
  8. fall — the season
  9. firm — steady
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. current — of water
  13. mark — a grade
  14. prune — to trim
  15. saw — the tool
  16. march — music
  17. current — happening now
  18. board — to get on
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. firm — decided

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