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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chair · can · toast · board · rock · stem · fork · current

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fork — in a road
  5. current — of water
  6. can — to be able to
  7. board — a committee
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. board — to get on
  12. can — a tin
  13. rock — music
  14. stem — to come from
  15. can — a tin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. chair — a leader
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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