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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 120 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: cold · press · fork · bark · current · safe · suit · board

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. current — electric
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. suit — in cards
  6. current — happening now
  7. board — to get on
  8. suit — to fit
  9. current — of water
  10. bark — to shout
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cold — an illness
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. cold — not warm
  15. suit — clothes
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. board — a committee
  23. press — a publisher
  24. safe — out of danger

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