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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — a series
  4. stem — to come from
  5. board — a committee
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. current — electric
  10. club — for golf
  11. land — a country
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. current — happening now
  15. land — to come down
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. land — ground
  18. board — to get on
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. current — of water
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stem — of a plant

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