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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: perch · face · dip · suit · bay · current · track · file

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. face — part of the head
  3. suit — clothes
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. current — happening now
  8. file — a tool
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. file — a document
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. dip — to sink
  13. current — of water
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. suit — in cards
  16. track — to keep track
  17. current — electric
  18. file — a line of people
  19. perch — the fish
  20. track — a song
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. suit — to fit
  23. face — to confront
  24. track — a path

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