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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: fork · perch · press · fan · bay · board · fall · current

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. board — a committee
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. press — a publisher
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fall — to drop
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. current — of water
  17. fall — to drop
  18. press — to push
  19. fall — the season
  20. board — to get on
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — in a road

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