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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 120 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: content · current · fall · fan · trunk · face · mark · chip

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. current — happening now
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. content — the amount
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. content — happy
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. face — to confront
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chip — for betting
  19. face — part of the head
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. current — of water
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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