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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: present · cap · rule · current · wake · dip · board · plane

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. present — the time now
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. current — of water
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. current — happening now
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. current — electric
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. wake — a trail
  15. board — to get on
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. present — a gift
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. present — there
  21. board — a committee
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rule — to rule out

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