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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. last — to go on
  5. current — happening now
  6. field — a subject
  7. last — finally
  8. foot — a measure
  9. current — electric
  10. firm — decided
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. firm — a company
  13. board — to get on
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. roll — a list
  16. firm — steady
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a cake
  19. field — for sport
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. field — farmland
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. board — a committee
  24. last — final

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