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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. board — a committee
  3. current — of water
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rock — music
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. land — a country
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — electric
  11. rock — a stone
  12. march — the month
  13. land — ground
  14. land — to come down
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. march — the month
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. march — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. board — to get on
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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