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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · rest · current · ball · calf · track · jam · pound

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. face — part of the head
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — of water
  7. pound — a weight
  8. current — happening now
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rest — what's left
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. current — electric
  16. face — to confront
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. track — a song
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rest — a break
  24. calf — of the leg

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