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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 116 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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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: tear · mark · current · board · stick · fine · fork · wind

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. current — of water
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. board — to get on
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. board — a committee
  15. current — happening now
  16. fine — all right
  17. current — electric
  18. wind — moving air
  19. fine — high quality
  20. tear — from crying
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mark — a grade
  23. tear — to rip
  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