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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 sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mark — a trace
  5. face — to confront
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. face — part of the head
  8. track — a path
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. mug — a face
  11. current — electric
  12. track — to keep track
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. current — happening now
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. date — the fruit
  23. current — of water
  24. track — a song

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