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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. row — a line
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. content — happy
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. current — electric
  7. roll — a cake
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. lean — thin
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. row — to paddle
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. roll — a list
  16. board — to get on
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. board — a committee
  21. current — happening now
  22. content — the amount
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. lean — to bend

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