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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · current · object · bay · saw · nail · fall · board

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. object — a thing
  3. fall — the season
  4. current — happening now
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. board — to get on
  8. current — of water
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. present — there
  11. object — an aim
  12. present — the time now
  13. object — to protest
  14. board — a committee
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. current — electric
  20. fall — to drop
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. present — a gift
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fall — to drop

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