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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. current — electric
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. toast — bread
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. root — the cause
  15. rush — hurry
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. root — of a word
  18. capital — money
  19. current — of water
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. current — happening now
  24. capital — a city

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