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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. current — of water
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. current — happening now
  5. track — to keep track
  6. scale — in music
  7. face — to confront
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mark — a grade
  11. track — a song
  12. land — to come down
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mark — a trace
  15. suit — in cards
  16. face — to point toward
  17. current — electric
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. suit — to fit
  20. land — ground
  21. suit — clothes
  22. track — a path
  23. scale — size or range
  24. land — a country

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