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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. press — to push
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lean — thin
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. mark — a grade
  11. face — to point toward
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. press — newspapers
  15. charge — in control
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. root — of a word
  18. current — happening now
  19. face — part of the head
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. press — a publisher
  22. root — the cause
  23. lean — to bend
  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