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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. current — electric
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mug — a face
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. track — a song
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mark — a trace
  16. current — of water
  17. track — a path
  18. current — happening now
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mark — a grade
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fork — in a road
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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