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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.

Make a worksheet

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: toast · mine · present · net · cell · staff · board · current

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. cell — a phone
  3. present — the time now
  4. staff — employees
  5. present — a gift
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. present — there
  8. net — after costs
  9. staff — employees
  10. board — a committee
  11. current — of water
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. net — for catching
  15. toast — bread
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mine — for digging
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. board — to get on
  24. net — in sport

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