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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. current — electric
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. current — happening now
  6. staff — a stick
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. mark — a trace
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. pass — a permit
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. mark — a grade
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. staff — employees
  18. current — of water
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. chair — a leader
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. staff — employees
  24. chair — a professorship

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