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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. current — happening now
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. last — to go on
  5. pass — a permit
  6. board — to get on
  7. current — of water
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. spring — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. last — finally
  12. object — to protest
  13. lean — thin
  14. last — final
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. object — a thing
  20. spring — the season
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. board — a committee
  23. object — an aim
  24. spring — a coil

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