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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. current — of water
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. craft — a skill
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. current — happening now
  10. object — an aim
  11. land — to come down
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. spring — a coil
  14. board — a committee
  15. spring — the season
  16. object — a thing
  17. land — ground
  18. craft — boats
  19. spring — of water
  20. board — to get on
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. object — to protest
  23. land — a country
  24. racket — for tennis

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