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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. roll — a cake
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pitch — completely
  9. roll — a list
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stock — shares
  16. charge — a price
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. stock — goods
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. suit — to fit
  23. face — to confront
  24. current — happening now

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