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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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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mark — a trace
  6. current — of water
  7. cap — a hat
  8. object — to protest
  9. track — a path
  10. object — an aim
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mark — a grade
  13. kick — in football
  14. object — a thing
  15. cap — of ice
  16. track — to keep track
  17. current — happening now
  18. track — a song
  19. current — electric
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fork — in a road
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mate — to breed

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