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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 · cap · net · board · land · last · charge · temple

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. net — for catching
  3. land — to come down
  4. current — electric
  5. land — ground
  6. last — finally
  7. board — to get on
  8. cap — a lid
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. last — to go on
  12. land — a country
  13. net — in sport
  14. charge — electricity
  15. current — of water
  16. board — a committee
  17. cap — a hat
  18. charge — a price
  19. cap — of ice
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. charge — in control
  22. net — after costs
  23. current — happening now
  24. last — final

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