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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. current — of water
  4. suit — clothes
  5. row — a line
  6. net — in sport
  7. track — to keep track
  8. court — of a king
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. court — of law
  11. suit — to fit
  12. current — happening now
  13. track — a path
  14. net — for catching
  15. saw — the tool
  16. board — to get on
  17. saw — the tool
  18. current — electric
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. board — a committee
  21. track — a song
  22. suit — in cards
  23. court — for sport
  24. net — after costs

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