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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: current · board · band · net · present · content · temple · club

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. band — a music group
  3. current — happening now
  4. club — for golf
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. club — for dancing
  8. net — in sport
  9. board — to get on
  10. present — the time now
  11. net — for catching
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. present — a gift
  16. content — the amount
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. net — after costs
  20. present — there
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. board — a committee
  23. club — a group
  24. band — a ring

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