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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mark — a grade
  4. can — to be able to
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. board — to get on
  9. can — a tin
  10. pit — in a race
  11. board — a committee
  12. wake — a trail
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. can — a tin
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pit — a hole
  21. current — of water
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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