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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 · rash · prune · dip · current · cap · object · suit

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. prune — to trim
  3. dip — to sink
  4. current — happening now
  5. suit — to fit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rash — a series
  8. cap — a lid
  9. object — an aim
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. rash — hasty
  14. face — to confront
  15. cap — a hat
  16. suit — in cards
  17. cap — of ice
  18. suit — clothes
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. face — to point toward
  21. current — of water
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. current — electric
  24. rash — on the skin

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