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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. current — of water
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. stand — to bear
  9. tube — a container
  10. current — happening now
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rest — what's left
  16. board — to get on
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. current — electric
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. ball — a dance
  22. board — a committee
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pitch — a sports field

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