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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 116 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. degree — temperature
  3. mark — a trace
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bass — low music
  6. track — a song
  7. face — to confront
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bass — the fish
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. degree — from a university
  14. mark — a grade
  15. degree — an amount
  16. track — a path
  17. rock — music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mark — to pay attention

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