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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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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: face · hand · fork · track · mark · can · fine · rock

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. can — to be able to
  3. track — a song
  4. face — to confront
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fine — all right
  7. track — a path
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fine — high quality
  11. track — to keep track
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. can — a tin
  19. rock — music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. can — a tin
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fork — a garden tool

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