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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. board — to get on
  10. key — for a lock
  11. current — happening now
  12. wind — moving air
  13. current — electric
  14. board — a committee
  15. wound — an injury
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. current — of water
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. key — in music
  22. wound — an injury
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fork — to eat with

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