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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: content · stand · ground · board · fork · date · pit · current

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. current — of water
  4. ground — crushed
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ground — the earth
  8. board — a committee
  9. fork — in a road
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. current — happening now
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. content — the amount
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stand — to bear
  17. content — happy
  18. pit — a hole
  19. board — to get on
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. current — electric
  24. stand — for spectators

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