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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
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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: board · current · temple · lean · cap · clip · ground · snap

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. board — to get on
  3. current — electric
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. lean — thin
  8. ground — crushed
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. ground — a position
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — to cut
  16. snap — to click
  17. ground — the earth
  18. board — a committee
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. current — of water
  23. cap — a lid
  24. clip — for paper

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