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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: can · rush · current · mark · board · race · bay · net

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. rush — hurry
  5. net — after costs
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. current — of water
  9. race — a contest
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. board — a committee
  12. mark — a grade
  13. net — in sport
  14. mark — a trace
  15. current — electric
  16. net — for catching
  17. can — a tin
  18. current — happening now
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. race — humankind
  22. can — a tin
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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