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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. board — a committee
  4. court — of a king
  5. staff — a stick
  6. ball — a great time
  7. staff — employees
  8. lie — to recline
  9. firm — steady
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. pitch — completely
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of law
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. current — electric
  21. staff — employees
  22. ball — a dance
  23. current — happening now
  24. board — to get on

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