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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 · club · net · sharp · shower · bore · land · board

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. club — for dancing
  4. shower — to wash
  5. land — ground
  6. bore — to drill
  7. board — a committee
  8. land — a country
  9. board — to get on
  10. current — electric
  11. shower — rain
  12. net — after costs
  13. club — for golf
  14. land — to come down
  15. bore — to tire
  16. net — for catching
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. current — happening now
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. current — of water
  23. club — a group
  24. net — in sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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