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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. swing — to play on
  3. current — electric
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. march — the month
  7. current — of water
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fork — in a road
  14. cue — a hint
  15. march — the month
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. swing — in golf
  18. staff — a stick
  19. current — happening now
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. swing — music
  23. board — to get on
  24. march — music

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