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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: track · current · file · bay · board · key · land · wave

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. file — a line of people
  6. key — for a lock
  7. track — a song
  8. land — a country
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. land — to come down
  11. file — a tool
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. file — a document
  14. current — of water
  15. land — ground
  16. current — electric
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. current — happening now
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. board — a committee
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. key — in 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