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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: mark · spell · leaves · clip · cap · mate · current · foot

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mark — a grade
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mark — a trace
  6. spell — letters
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. current — happening now
  9. clip — to cut
  10. foot — a measure
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mate — a partner
  14. cap — a lid
  15. current — of water
  16. spell — magic
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mate — a friend
  19. clip — a video
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. spell — a short time
  22. cap — a hat
  23. current — electric
  24. mate — to breed

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