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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: charge · net · board · file · bound · rock · band · current

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bound — certain
  3. current — happening now
  4. rock — a stone
  5. file — a document
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. net — for catching
  9. board — to get on
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. net — in sport
  12. rock — music
  13. band — a music group
  14. current — of water
  15. file — a tool
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. net — after costs
  18. band — a ring
  19. board — a committee
  20. bound — tied together
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bound — obliged
  23. charge — electricity
  24. current — electric

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