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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 120 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. board — to get on
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rule — government
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pit — in a race
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ball — a dance
  12. current — happening now
  13. ball — a great time
  14. board — a committee
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pit — a hole
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — a law
  21. drill — army training
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. current — of water

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