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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · board · bay · row · dip · pit · key · staff

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. staff — employees
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. board — a committee
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. current — electric
  12. row — a line
  13. pit — a hole
  14. staff — a stick
  15. key — for a lock
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. staff — employees
  18. dip — to sink
  19. current — happening now
  20. row — to paddle
  21. key — in music
  22. current — of water
  23. key — the most important part
  24. board — to get on

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