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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: current · toast · stand · board · fine · leaves · hand · saw

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. toast — bread
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. board — to get on
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. hand — in cards
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. saw — the tool
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. saw — the tool
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. current — electric
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. current — of water
  23. stand — to bear
  24. current — happening now

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