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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: bay · plane · row · band · board · pop · wake · current

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. wake — a trail
  5. current — electric
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. plane — a tool
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. board — a committee
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. band — a ring
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. band — a music group
  19. row — a line
  20. board — to get on
  21. pop — to visit
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. wake — before a funeral

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