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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: game · sharp · bore · club · rule · board · current · lean

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. current — electric
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. board — a committee
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. rule — government
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lean — thin
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lean — to bend
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. current — happening now
  15. club — for golf
  16. current — of water
  17. club — for dancing
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bore — to drill
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a match
  22. club — a group
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rule — a law

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