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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · mark · charge · cabinet · face · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — to confront
  4. current — happening now
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. face — part of the head
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. charge — in control
  16. bass — low music
  17. charge — a price
  18. bass — the instrument

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