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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bound — certain
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. net — for catching
  12. current — electric
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. current — of water
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bound — obliged
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. current — happening now
  24. bound — tied together

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