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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. fork — in a road
  3. current — happening now
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. board — a committee
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. row — to paddle
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. swing — in golf
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. charge — in control
  16. fall — to drop
  17. charge — electricity
  18. board — to get on
  19. fall — the season
  20. charge — a price
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. row — a line
  23. current — electric
  24. pass — a permit

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