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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. mark — a grade
  5. ground — the earth
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ground — a position
  9. face — part of the head
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. board — a committee
  12. cap — a lid
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cap — a hat
  15. date — the fruit
  16. face — to confront
  17. board — to get on
  18. mark — a trace
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. cap — of ice
  24. current — electric

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