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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: land · race · hide · mark · current · present · mug · pop

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. present — the time now
  3. current — of water
  4. mug — to rob
  5. current — happening now
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mark — a grade
  9. race — humankind
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. land — ground
  12. mug — a cup
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mark — a trace
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — the arms race
  17. present — there
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. mug — a face
  21. current — electric
  22. land — to come down
  23. present — a gift
  24. pop — to visit

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