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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: stick · rock · object · board · coach · spell · current · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. board — to get on
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. current — of water
  8. object — to protest
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — an aim
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. current — electric
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. object — a thing
  20. spell — magic
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. current — happening now

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