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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. current — electric
  3. track — to keep track
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rush — hurry
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. can — a tin
  9. current — happening now
  10. face — to confront
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pop — soda
  15. track — a path
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. can — a tin
  18. pop — music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. face — to point toward
  21. pop — to visit
  22. sharp — clever
  23. face — part of the head
  24. current — of water

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