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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: present · current · cabinet · hide · wound · pitch · season · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. board — to get on
  6. wound — an injury
  7. present — the time now
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. season — of the year
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. current — happening now
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. season — in sport
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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