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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. board — a committee
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cold — not warm
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cold — an illness
  14. mark — a grade
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pound — a weight
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. board — to get on
  20. mark — a trace
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. mouse — the animal

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