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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. current — of water
  3. board — to get on
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. charge — a price
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. degree — temperature
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. season — in sport
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. degree — from a university
  13. current — electric
  14. field — for sport
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. field — farmland
  17. field — a subject
  18. current — happening now
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. board — a committee
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. degree — an amount

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