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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: game · mouse · chest · fork · board · current · nail · club

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. club — for dancing
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. current — electric
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. board — a committee
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. game — wild animals
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. club — a group
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. current — of water
  15. board — to get on
  16. game — a match
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. current — happening now
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. chest — a box
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. chest — of your body
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. club — for golf

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