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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mark — a grade
  4. face — to point toward
  5. staff — employees
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. branch — a division
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. face — part of the head
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. swing — in golf
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. staff — employees
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. current — electric
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. swing — music
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. staff — a stick
  24. face — to confront

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