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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. season — in sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bank — of a river
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chip — for betting
  11. season — of the year
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. current — happening now
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. clip — for paper
  17. board — to get on
  18. current — electric
  19. clip — to cut
  20. chip — to eat
  21. clip — a video
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. current — of water
  24. bank — for money

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