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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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. current — happening now
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. current — electric
  5. bass — the fish
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bass — low music
  9. bank — of a river
  10. present — a gift
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bank — for money
  13. present — the time now
  14. chip — to eat
  15. band — a music group
  16. board — a committee
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. current — of water
  19. chip — for betting
  20. present — there
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. board — to get on
  24. bank — for money

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