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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. cap — a hat
  10. content — the amount
  11. face — to point toward
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. current — happening now
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. current — electric
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. snap — to click
  19. board — a committee
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. cap — a lid
  22. board — to get on
  23. cap — of ice
  24. content — happy

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