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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 120 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: fall · ball · bay · kid · lean · board · current · rest

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lean — thin
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. fall — the season
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rest — a break
  11. board — to get on
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. current — electric
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lean — to bend
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. current — of water
  19. kid — child
  20. fall — to drop
  21. board — a committee
  22. kid — to tease
  23. current — happening now
  24. lean — to rest against

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