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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: mark · face · saw · fork · bound · chip · root · current

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. face — to confront
  3. bound — obliged
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. face — to point toward
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. mark — a trace
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. face — part of the head
  11. current — happening now
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bound — tied together
  16. chip — for betting
  17. current — of water
  18. bound — certain
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. current — electric
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. saw — the tool

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