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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bat — the animal
  5. drill — the tool
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. drill — army training
  10. key — the most important part
  11. row — a line
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rule — government
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. current — electric
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. board — a committee
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — certain
  23. rule — a law
  24. board — a flat piece

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