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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.

Make a worksheet

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: swing · rest · mark · object · temple · current · leaves · fan

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. swing — to play on
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. swing — music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. current — of water
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. object — to protest
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rest — a break
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rest — what's left
  18. swing — in golf
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. current — happening now
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. current — electric
  24. temple — a place of worship

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