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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: face · charge · ground · scale · jam · leaves · suit · current

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. charge — a price
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. ground — a position
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. suit — clothes
  8. face — part of the head
  9. charge — electricity
  10. suit — in cards
  11. scale — in music
  12. ground — crushed
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ground — the earth
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. current — of water
  18. face — to confront
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. charge — in control
  21. scale — size or range
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. face — to point toward

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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