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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 · ball · nail · board · wound · track · foot · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. current — happening now
  3. firm — a company
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. track — a path
  7. board — to get on
  8. wound — an injury
  9. firm — decided
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. current — of water
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — a song
  19. current — electric
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. board — a committee
  23. track — to keep track
  24. wound — an injury

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