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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. content — the amount
  3. mark — a grade
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. face — to confront
  6. current — of water
  7. face — to point toward
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. face — part of the head
  10. stand — to bear
  11. root — the cause
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. root — of a plant
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. root — of a word
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. current — electric
  21. snap — to click
  22. content — happy
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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