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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mark — a grade
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. present — the time now
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. board — a committee
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — there
  11. face — to confront
  12. present — a gift
  13. face — to point toward
  14. prune — to trim
  15. kid — child
  16. board — to get on
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. face — part of the head
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. mark — a trace
  21. current — electric
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — happening now
  24. kid — to tease

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