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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: cap · current · face · sharp · hand · charge · jam · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. sharp — clever
  3. face — part of the head
  4. hand — help
  5. cap — a lid
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. charge — in control
  10. current — electric
  11. charge — a price
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. cap — a hat
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. current — of water
  16. hand — in cards
  17. charge — electricity
  18. face — to confront
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. face — to point toward
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. current — happening now
  24. cap — of ice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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