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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. current — electric
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. branch — a division
  8. board — to get on
  9. current — of water
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cold — an illness
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. row — to paddle
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. charge — a price
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. current — happening now
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. charge — in control
  24. board — a committee

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