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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mug — to rob
  3. current — electric
  4. face — part of the head
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mug — a face
  7. face — to confront
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. mug — a cup
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ball — a dance
  19. current — happening now
  20. swing — in golf
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. can — a tin
  24. mark — a trace

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