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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: date · row · board · fine · object · file · current · present

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. file — a line of people
  4. fine — all right
  5. row — a line
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. object — to protest
  9. date — the fruit
  10. board — a committee
  11. file — a tool
  12. present — the time now
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. current — electric
  15. present — there
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. object — an aim
  18. file — a document
  19. board — to get on
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. present — a gift
  23. row — to paddle
  24. fine — high quality

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