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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. current — of water
  3. staff — a stick
  4. present — there
  5. lie — to recline
  6. present — a gift
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. staff — employees
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. present — the time now
  12. key — the most important part
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. staff — employees
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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