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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: wave · staff · board · dip · mine · cabinet · current · pit

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mine — for digging
  4. board — a committee
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. staff — a stick
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. dip — to sink
  13. current — of water
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. staff — employees
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. board — to get on
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. staff — employees
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. current — happening now

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