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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. board — a committee
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. board — to get on
  6. net — after costs
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. wake — a trail
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. club — a group
  17. mine — for digging
  18. club — for golf
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. net — in sport
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. net — for catching
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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