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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.

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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: game · rest · bore · file · deal · board · current · plane

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. file — a line of people
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rest — a break
  9. board — to get on
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. file — a tool
  13. game — a match
  14. current — electric
  15. bore — to drill
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. board — a committee
  18. rest — what's left
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rest — what's left
  22. plane — a tool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. file — a document

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