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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 116 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: fork · present · current · mate · mark · clip · suit · lie

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mate — a friend
  3. current — happening now
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. clip — a video
  8. present — the time now
  9. current — electric
  10. present — a gift
  11. lie — to recline
  12. current — of water
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fork — in a road
  15. clip — to cut
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mate — to breed
  20. present — there
  21. suit — clothes
  22. clip — for paper
  23. mate — a partner
  24. suit — in cards

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