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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.

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: mark · content · wave · current · kick · lean · bat · face

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. face — part of the head
  3. lean — to bend
  4. current — electric
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. content — the amount
  12. face — to confront
  13. mark — a grade
  14. current — of water
  15. face — to point toward
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. content — happy
  19. lean — thin
  20. mark — a trace
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. current — happening now

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