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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: lie · current · mark · race · foot · wound · saw · swing

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. current — of water
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mark — a trace
  6. current — happening now
  7. wound — an injury
  8. swing — music
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mark — a grade
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. saw — the tool
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. wound — an injury
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — the arms race
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. swing — to play on
  20. current — electric
  21. race — humankind
  22. swing — in golf
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mark — to pay attention

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