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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 116 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: current · board · pop · mouse · season · mate · chair · hand

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pop — soda
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. hand — help
  8. current — electric
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. season — in sport
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. current — happening now
  13. board — a committee
  14. season — of the year
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. chair — a leader
  22. current — of water
  23. mate — a partner
  24. pop — music

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