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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 120 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
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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: board · pit · current · straw · charge · object · perch · bound

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bound — tied together
  3. board — a committee
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. current — of water
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. bound — certain
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. object — to protest
  11. charge — in control
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. current — happening now
  16. pit — in a race
  17. perch — the fish
  18. board — to get on
  19. pit — a hole
  20. current — electric
  21. bound — obliged
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. charge — a price
  24. perch — for a bird

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