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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — to get on
  4. current — electric
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — moving air
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. land — to come down
  10. board — a committee
  11. bark — to shout
  12. current — of water
  13. land — ground
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. firm — steady
  17. land — a country
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. current — happening now
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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