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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. march — the month
  4. current — of water
  5. board — to get on
  6. present — the time now
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. sharp — clever
  10. board — a committee
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. march — music
  13. present — there
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pit — in a race
  19. kick — in football
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. march — the month
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pit — a hole
  24. present — a gift

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